


The Battle For Spock Part 3

by Uhurathe9th



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Drama & Romance, F/M, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mild Language, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:40:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 43,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24533218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uhurathe9th/pseuds/Uhurathe9th
Summary: Commander Spock and Lt. Uhura are married, and the Enterprise is on a slow run to Vulcan. What could go wrong?The Image below of Nichelle Nichols is my version of Saana-Nyota's mom. : )
Relationships: Amanda Grayson/Sarek, Charlene Masters/Hikaru Sulu, Spock/Nyota Uhura, Stonn/T'Pring (Star Trek)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 36





	1. Saana's Hope

**Author's Note:**

> Beta Reader: Jsilver2000  
> Summary: Spock and Nyota were on their way to Vulcan to meet his clan and verify their bond. Little unsettling things were happening to Nyota because of their Vulcan mating bond; she has found that she is sensitive to touch and sound. The crew are both shocked and glad upon learning that Commander Spock and Lt. Uhura are married. Spock has found that another club has been established because they see him as some sort of Prince Charming in a romance story. Spock wasn't used to being the center of attention, especially from women. They would bat their eyes and make comments like, "How romantic" or "He's so attentive—like a prince" or "He's a Prince Charming". Spock found it very uncomfortable to know that his movements were being observed by the female crew. While Uhura was taking it all in, the female crew would question her about being married to a prince. Or ask what title she would have: princess, Lady Uhura, or her majesty? Uhura would just laugh and explain that Vulcan titles should not be compared to the Terran titles, that they represented only positions in the family unit.  
> I want to to delve into the Uhura and S'chn T'gai families and give background on their thoughts about Spock and Nyota's marriage. Lets start there, with Saana from "The Battle for Spock," part II: chapter 25, where Nyota tells her mother that she is married to a Vulcan, the elusive Commander Spock.

**Saana's Hope**

Tears rolled down her weary cheeks: _There is nothing like knowing your child is happy._ Saana sat proud; she had just finished her conversation with Nyota and Charlene. She took a deep sigh. Her only daughter—her only child—was married, married to a Vulcan, of all things!

 _I don't know much about Vulcan culture. I haven't even seen many Vulcans, as a matter of fact,_ she thought to herself.

Saana continued to ponder. She had only seen Vulcans on vids or the documentaries from the libaries. She was aware that they are quiet, polite people, but she thought they had intimadating looks, with their arched eyebrows and pointed years. People have said they don't laugh or smile or express emotions of any kind. But somehow her Nyota married one, so there must be some form of understanding. Saana knew that nothing is easy in life and relationship are difficult to maintain, especially in a marriage. Saana hoped that her daughter would grow to understand that marriage is built on trust, understanding, and, most of all, patience. Saana and Kayode were childhood sweethearts; their love grew from their friendship. Kayode was a handsome man from her hometown in South Africa, and they went through many trials and adventures as a married couple. Nyota, their 'Star', was an added blessing. Saana was now older and alone, but she looked much younger than she was. Her hair was streaked with silver and framed her glowing face. Nyota had inherited her curvy figure and smooth complexion, which, even at her age, caught the eyes of men, who tried to court her. But Saana turned them all down; no man could ever replace Kayode Uhura.

Saana reflected on Nyota, tracing in her mind her only child's path from birth to childhood and finally to adulthood. Nothing came easy for her Star: from her struggles with being an only child to being bullied for most of her preteen and teenage years, to the deaths of her father and uncle at almost the same time, it was a difficult path and it took a toll on their mother–daughter relationship.

"Baba, I don't understand. Why are they teasing me? What did I do wrong?"

"Little Star, because you shine so bright, they want to take the shine from you. You must be strong, Little Star. You are smart. You are important." Saana saw Kayode in her mind, holding Nyota as she cried into his shoulder. Those were hurtful times for Nyota. She excelled in her studies, performing beyond her years, and the other children had punished her for it.

Nyota was multi-talented; her intelligence and her mathematical apitude were the object of jealousy among her peers, but her singing would bring her peace when the bullying became too much. She would dance for her father to express her anger or happiness. Then she learned to play an assortment of musical instruments to keep her light shining. Saana considered that Nyota had had to fight for her place in this universe; her baby was strong.

Saana was happy too for her adopted daughter, Charlene, who seemed to have found someone to share her life with. Saana was happy that those two were stationed on the same ship and even happier that they were best friends. Nyota didn't have many friends growing up, but Charlene was there for Nyota through thick and thin. Saana thought back to when Nyota brought Charlene home to visit—before they both were deployed—Saana had made a special dinner to celebrate their graduation from Starfleet Academy and to have one last chance to hold her baby in her arms before she left on the Enterprise.Saana didn't know how long she would be gone, but the memory of their time together made Nyota's absence easier to bear.

Tears streamed down Sanna's face as she remembered how she almost lost her Star. It was after the death of her husband, when Nyota was 12 years old. He worked in Starfleet as a master sergeant. It was a routine inspection of the space dock at Deep Space Station that rotated around the moon that went wrong; over 30 men and women were killed that day. Her husband, Kayode, was one of them. They told her it was an accident. She remembered holding Nyota's hand at the memorial ceremony. Master Sergeant Kayode Uhura—the love of her life—was gone forever.

The tragedy only deepened three months later when her brother, Zurberi Buhari,also in Starfleet, died on Neptune when he was exposed to the atomsphere during a routine excursion. It was too much to bear; she blamed Starfleet for taking her family and vowed that hell would freeze over before they would get another member of her family.

On Nyota's fifteenth birthday, another storm was brewing. Saana remembered it like it was yesterday. Nyota stood in front of her, nervous and afraid, wringing her hands.

"Momma, I want to join Starfleet Academy."

The words sent terror and anger vibrating throughout Saana's body. She balled her hands into tight fists. "NO!"

"Why Momma? Commander Carsonsays that I'm good at—"

"NO! You're too young, and I am dead set against it! Now go to your room!"

Nyota ran to her room and curled up on her bed, wracked with sobs. From that day on, the tension between the two of them grew. Nyota was polite and respectful for the next three years; she maintained her grades and all her activities. The subject was never brought up again. _I thought I had dodged the bullet, but I was wrong, very wrong._

 _Just like it happened yesterday, I still she her face, the way we fought, but the things I said. The things that hurt._ An orientation officer notified Saana on that dreadful day, that Nyota had been accepted into the Starfleet Academy Communications Program. She read the message on her Padd in disbelief and shock. Then the reality hit her: _Nyota is of legal age; I can no longer stop her from going._ But she decided to try anyway—with all her might and every manipulative tool at her her disposal.

"I forbid you to go into Starfleet!" Saana snapped.

"But I've been accepted, and I want to go. I want to travel the stars, to see the universe!"

"If you go, you will no longer be my daughter! You will be dead to me!"

"Don't say that, Momma! That's not fair! Please don't make me choose!" Nyota was crying; her heart was breaking.

"Then don't leave!"

Nyota took a deep breath, she had planned this day for years, she wanted her mother to be proud. She couldn’t fight it any more, she needed to follow her heart, the stars. Nyota looked at her mother with her tear stained face.

“Momma, please!”

Nyota gathered up her duffle bag with a tear-stained face and looked at her mother for the last time before she left for Starfleet.

"I have to do this. If I don't, I'll always regret it. There's something out there calling me. I HAVE to go!" The stars and the universe were calling Nyota, she couldn’t back. NOT NOW.

After Nyota left, and didn’t look back, Saana fell to her knees and wailed.

At first, both the pain and the anger were tremendous. Starfleet had taken another family member from her life. She thought she would never get over it. But Nyota never gave up on her. She regularly messaged Saana to let her know how things were going at the Academy. She never stopped reaching out. And over time, Saana's deep love for her daughter and her need to be a part of her life won out over her fear and anger. It would be three long years before Saana would speak or acknowledge her daughter, pride does mean things to people, even to the ones you love. Saana was hurt, she thought Nyota did it out of spite, a way to get back when she told her ‘no’ when she was fifteen. Saana would be laying her bed wondering if her daughter was alive or dead, or safe. She would cry herself to sleep because of the hurt between them.

Saana still worried about her daughter sometimes, but now Nyota had told her that she'd married Commander Spock. A smile started to form on Saana's face. Usually, Nyota would tell her about her boyfriends and how they worked out or how they failed. Several years ago, Nyota had almost married the man with the shifty eyes. He had asked Saana's permission to marry her. Saana told him that if he was good to her and loved her, he could have her blessing. But it was not to be. He betrayed Nyota and Saana with lies. But this time—seeing Nyota with Charlene and how happy they both were—she knew they were building trust again. Saana saw the genuine love in Nyota's eyes. _She has given her heart to the Vulcan. He must be some man to be worthy of Nyota's heart. She has so much to give._

A beep came from the vid console where they just has spoken. It was a message from Nyota. Just as she had promised, she had sent pictures. Saana downloaded the file and opened it to view them.

The first picture was of Spock and Nyota standing together with their first two fingers touching each others. He was in a long formal robe with strange writing down the left side. His eyes were pirecing, sharp like an eagle. His head was slightly turned toward Nyota, which gave the apprearance that had eyes only for her. Nyota was a vision in a beautiful wedding dress. It almost looked like a traditional African dress—it was a full strapless gown with gold, green, and white embroidery woven into the bodice. A headress of gold beads sat snugly on her head. It was beautiful. Saana smiled at the image; her daughter looked like a queen.

She noticed images in the background that appeared to show the Serengeti landscape, as well as otherworldly landscapes she had never seen before. She surmised that these must be Vulcan landscapes, with red sand and sculptured cliffs. The next slide was of the wedding party standing in a semi-circle: Captain Kirk, Lt. Sulu, Charlene, Dr. McCoy, and Lt. Commander Scott, in his traditional Scottish kilt, with Nyota and Spock standing in the middle.It was a beautiful wedding party. Charlene was wearing a knee-length green dress that complemented Nyota's gown. Even she looked different from the last time Saana had seen her, right before Nyota and Charlene had left to join the Enterprise crew. Two strong, beautiful women, on an adventure of their life.

Saana knew everyone in the pictures because Nyota would often talk and share stories about them and about some of their adventures in exploration. They way Nyota would tell the stories made it seem as if Saana was there with them. The bond between mother and daughter was renewed and strengthened. The third slide was of Spock and Nyota both seated, strumming Vulcan lyres. _They play music together, how nice!_ Saana noticed how they positioned their seats facing each other. Her heart soared: Nyota wanted to let her know that she and Spock had a love of music in common. It gave her peace to know in her heart that Nyota was all right, even though she was far away from home. More tears came down as she keenly felt the absence of her husband, Nyota's father, at this milestone in their daughter's life. Saana lined up all three photos and looked at them together, carefully scrutinizing Spock. She noticed his eyes, how they looked soft and never left Nyota. Saana was amazed. _There is more to Vulcans than I knew._

Sadness hit Saana's heart and she took a deep breath. She was happy that Nyota had found someone to share her life with—that was good. The sad part was wondering when she would ever see them, if they would ever return to Earth so she could meet her son-in-law. It could be years. Nyota was on a five-year mission on an exploration ship. But then Saana realized she would probably meet the commander during one of their every-other-week chats, and her spirits lifted.

Saana and Kayode once had a house full of life, a loving husband, and darling child. With him and Nyota gone, she had settled into a small condo that was close to the university, where she worked as a historian–anthropologist. Saana didn’t mind being alone, they became friends, and the little place she has, would have to do for now. Saana wiped her face, took a deep breath. She got up and made some tea in order to relax and reflect on her daughter's marriage. As Saana raised the cup to her mouth, a thought struck her and she sat motionless, with the cup in midair: _I need to find more information on Vulcans and their customs, in case I ever meet my son-in-law, Spock._

The most important thing Saana thought as she smiled down at her tea; _‘Nyota has found her place in the universe and the one.’_ As Saana looked up from sipping her tea, another pleasant thought passed through her mind; _"Grandchildren!"_


	2. Amanda's Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta Reader:Jsilver2000  
> Summary: Now it's S'chn T'gai Amanda Grayson's turn to express her feelings. I have read many stories and versions of her and Sarek's meetings and found them so refreshing and wonderfully written. In the original series, it was implied that Spock was the first Vulcan–human, but I have seen in Star Trek Enterprise series that Vulcans and humans were intimate before Ambassador Sarek relationship with Amanda. Also, I have read that Spock was an engineered-hybrid. But I love my original series; no other recent series has come close to Gene Roddenberry's original idea.  
> So my version of Amanda and Sarek is more inclined toward the episode "Journey to Babel," my favorite. I liked this version of Amanda: she is funny, sweet and loves her man.  
> Our story takes place after Spock has introduced Nyota to his parents in "The Battle for Spock, part 2," chapter 28. This will set the scene for Spock to return to Vulcan with his bride.

**Amanda's Hope**

Sarek had left the office to attend a meeting in another room with a representative of the Vulcan Council. Amanda sat quietly in Sarek's office, looking at the closed com-link and thinking about her son and his wife. A smile broke across her face as she thought about what had happened less than five minutes ago. Amanda had just met her new daughter-in-law, Nyota, which means 'Star' in Swahili. But, most of all, she had noticed her son's happiness—Spock was content for the first time in his life. During the conversation, Amanda had watched Spock's eyes and the way he looked at his wife. She had seen that same glow in Sarek's eyes when she married him many years ago. Yes, Amanda could discern the character of a Vulcan in their eyes _(the eyes don't lie_ _)_ they tell it all. Amanda remembers as she looked into the eyes of her son, her only son, she could clearly see that Spock was in love with the woman. A mother can tell. The way Spock introduced Nyota—his back straight, chest out, and demeanor calm—spoke volumes to her perceptive eyes, showing that he was proud of his choice.

Amanda shook her head and thought to herself, _Boy, Vulcans are something else; they experience emotions so close to those of humans, but express them so differently; Sarek and Spock are so much alike, but yet so different_ _._

Amanda felt an uncoiling of a knot in her stomach that she had lived with for so long she no longer recognized it was there—until it relaxed. For the first time since he was born she was able to rest at ease, knowing that her son had found a partner for life. Amanda reflected on the brief conversation with Nyota, who was friendly, confident, compassionate, and intelligent. Her beauty really stood out, and that Nyota spoke so many languages fluently and had worked for the diplomatic corps spoke volumes about her intelligence. She could see that Nyota was not the type of woman who indulged in casual relationships. She would have been an amazing catch even for a human; Amanda marveled that Spock, her adorably dorky son, had been able to win Nyota's hand. Amanda's happiness and excited thoughts projected through her bond with Sarek, and he responded:

_You are content with the match, my wife?_

_Yes, Adun, very pleased_ [smiling to herself].

Amanda remembered how Spock and Nyota had looked on the com-link, the way Spock positioned himself next to his wife. That Vulcan protective stance was on display, demonstrating his love for her. Amanda sighed deeply, as though she had been holding her breath for thirty-six years. It's a mother relief to know that her child is living a productive and healthy life. But with Vulcans, a healthy life for a male requires a wife to bond with. Thinking about this brought back how Sarek and she had made it so far in their marriage; she shuddered, thinking about all the trials and tribulations that went with it. Amanda hadn't wanted Spock to have to deal with all of that, but his mixed heritage came with a price. It had always been a dagger in Amanda's heart that Spock was an outcast in both societies.

Amanda reflected on Spock's previous relationships (the ones she knew about). Since Spock's birth, Amanda had struggled to understand Vulcan customs and traditions; her mistake was that she examined them from the perspective of Terran customs. In her world, Spock should have been able choose who he wanted to marry. Until she met Sarek, she hadn't known about the mating rituals of Vulcans, which were forced upon them because of the mental and physical stresses—and danger of death—both sexes endure at the age of sexual maturity. Vulcans were very careful to keep this part of their biology and culture under wraps to avoid the exposure of uncontrolled emotions that would rip off the tight lid of their logic because it would humiliate them and expose their vulnerability.

Spock was half human, so many Vulcan people didn't consider him to be a true Vulcan and were reluctant to allow him to take part in their traditions. But the healers had revealed to Sarek and Amanda shortly after Spock's birth that his Vulcan genes were generally dominant and his body would grow and develop as any Vulcan male's, meaning he would eventually undergo the pon farr and require a mate. Therefore, they advised that Spock should have a bondmate for his Time. Amanda fought her mother's instinct to protect him against exposure to Vulcan prejudice, but after considering what the healers had said, she realized that to keep her son safe, he had to have a bondmate. Which presented another problem: what Vulcan female would want to marry her half human son? She entrusted Sarek with negotiating a bride for Spock, even though she had studied the traditions under the tutelage of T'Pau. Amanda got along well with her, despite T'Pau's questioning Sarek's reasons for marrying her. Amanda had held her ground against T'Pau in their many debates, eventually earning T'Pau's respect, which had not been easy, Amanda thought. _She's a tough old bird_. Sarek and T'Pau found a match for Spock. Amanda remembered the look on Spock's face when he was informed of the upcoming betrothal ceremony; she had felt his despair and confusion. He knew how his peers felt about him being half Vulcan, and he wondered what female would be willing to attach herself to him. Amanda's seven-year-old son was about to be bonded, betrothed, to a girl he did not know.

"Mother, must I?"

Amanda looked up at Sarek and saw his face; he urged her through their bond to confirm the truth.

"Yes, my son. Do you remember your studies about the mating process and the reasons for bonding?"

Spock slowly turned toward his father; Sarek urged Spock through the family bond to be logical.

"Yes, Sa-mekh."

Later on that night, Spock had run away with his pet sehlat for three days. He returned on his betrothal day and met his future bride. T'Pau performed the ceremony, and a healer confirmed that the bond was sound. Spock spent little time with T'Pring; he tried to touch her through the bond and found resistance. She either didn't understand Spock's nature or that fact he was of mixed heritage caused confusion with her. When Amanda met T'Pring's parents, everything was explained. It was merely a political move for them; an alliance with the S'chn T'gai clan meant power and position, and they were willing to sacrifice a daughter to obtain them. Looking into their eyes, (the eyes don't lie) Amanda could see the resentment. It hurt her to know that Spock would suffer slights and prejudice from them in the future. Her future daughter-in-law was a pawn in Vulcan society. Amanda thought about the Terran history of such dealings between royal families, making strange bedfellows and alliances. Now these two children were pledged to marry each other in the future. She was thankful that her son was safe—for now. For Spock to survive, Amanda could only hope that the pair would find a way to mesh. When Amanda sat with little T'Pring, the girl sat as stiff as a board and said next to nothing; she didn't want to look at Amanda. Amanda expressed her thoughts to Sarek:

_"The child fails to acknowledge me; what is wrong with her?"_

_"The child will adjust in time, Amanda; it is a new situation for her to experience a marriage bond."_

_"Sure; it couldn't have anything to do to with the fact that I'm human?"_

_"That is an illogical assumption; the child is aware of her responsibilities."_

_"Right!"_

Amanda's sarcasm revealed how upset she was that the child showed prejudice against her. _If that is true, then she has it against Spock as well._ _Not a comforting feeling._

Spock's suffered from bullying, prejudice, and assumptions about his intellectual abilities and emotional control every day at school. Each day, Spock's emotional control grew stronger. The healers were amazed to find that he had a psi rating in the 90th percentile for full Vulcans. His tremendous aptitude for math and science soon became apparent, challenging both his schoolmates'. His teachers' assumptions about the limits of a hybrid's mind and telepathy has becoming a threat in the eyes of some. They were unaware of Spock's capability and growth, but Amanda knew, he shared his thoughts about them.

As Spock grew, Amanda noticed that he became more reserved, less talkative, but would respond every now and then through the family bond when requested. He barely mentioned T'Pring or his engagement to her. Spock occasionally felt her resistance toward him and only acknowledged her when arrangements were made to keep the bond intact. Amanda would feel the stress rise in the familial bond because Spock became irritated when T'Pring was around. Sarek would remind Spock of his responsibilities to the girl and that fulfilling them was important for his survival as a male Vulcan. Sarek had tried to portray Vulcan culture and sexuality in a positive way, but Spock would only listen politely and kept his thoughts to himself.

Then the S'chn T'gai family dealt with the unthinkable, the thing that would drive the family apart. Spock reached the age of accountability; he now had to choose his path for the future. Against all odds, he had performed to an outstanding level in all academic areas. The Vulcan Science Council invited Spock to follow in his father's footsteps and continue his studies at the Vulcan Science Academy, which was considered a great Spock shocked both the Academy and his own father when he announced that he had been accepted into Starfleet Academy and he intended to leave Vulcan to pursue his studies there. It was the beginning of the end of their father–son relationship:

"Spock, your choice of career is illogical; Starfleet practices are contrary to Vulcan beliefs."

Spock stood taller; he had now outgrown most of his peers.

"Starfleet Academy has a science division that is adequate to continue my academics."

"Spock, it is expected of you as a member of the S'chn T'gai clan to continue your studies at the Vulcan Science Academy; Starfleet will not provide the training to maintain your beliefs in the Way of Surak."

"My acceptance is final; the decision is final; I will attend to my departure."

With that, the family split. Spock went to Starfleet, and Sarek refused to accept or acknowledge Spock's choice. The family bond shrunk to the point where Amanda could hardly feel it; it felt almost as if a part of her had been amputated. Spock had somehow shut it down to nearly nonexistent.

As a mother, it was hard for Amanda to see her only child leave, not knowing when he would return; her heart was heavy. Amanda knew Sarek's heart was heavy as well; he didn't have to say anything; she felt it through their bond.

_Sarek has lost two sons; what does a father do?_ Amanda thought to herself.

Amanda continued to reflect on the past events of Spock's life. Spock had been through so much, but his relationship with his father had worsened. Amanda was caught in the middle of their bickering about Spock's career choice; Sarek would often make a snarky remark, and Spock would cut off the communication. There were times Spock would call Amanda on the com-link to let her know of his welfare, and she would notice that Spock would not mention his father or T'Pring in their brief conversations.

As the years passed, the news that Spock had been assigned to the Enterprise, as well as details of his scientific investigations, started to become widely known. Awards, achievements, medals of all sorts started pouring in from Starfleet and other Federation planets to the family compound on behalf of Spock. Everywhere Sarek and Amanda would go for diplomatic meetings, Spock's name was mentioned and his achievements and scientific theories were praised. Amanda smiled to herself: _I'm so proud of you, my son._ She would project her pride through her bond with Sarek, but Sarek did not express any sentiment or acknowledge his son's achievements.

Several years later, Sarek did respond to Amanda through their bond about Spock: _Spock's duties are required in his position._ It was the most he had ever said about Spock and Starfleet. But Sarek's reflections about his son were very rare; he still felt that Spock should fulfill his responsibilities by attending the Vulcan Science Academy. That was one thing about Sarek, he refused to see Spock as total human, but as Vulcan son and treated him as such like a father would. Amanda smiled about that, it touched her that Sarek really tried.

Then back on Vulcan, Amanda started hearing rumors. It was her opinion that Vulcans gossip worse than humans, but they base their comments on facts and they don't exaggerate. T'Pring had grown up into a lovely Vulcan woman; males from other provinces had come to seek her audience, and she entertained them publicly. She acted as if she were single, and many males had requested Koon-ut so'lik (marriage proposal). But once they were informed of her pending marriage to Spock, many declined, infuriating T'Pring; she needed a challenger to break the marriage. Amanda couldn't take it anymore and confronted Sarek:

"Adun, it bothers me that T'Pring is entertaining male suitors, knowing that she is betrothed to Spock. This is unacceptable behavior!"

"T'Pring has been aware of her responsibilities and contract from the beginning; she will honor those commitments, Aduna."

"Sarek, please! Is there any way to break this?"

"Our ancient marital laws may be cruel; T'Pring will honor her family and Spock."

Amanda thought that conversation went nowhere; she became worried about Spock, who was not present on Vulcan to fight the suitors or defend his betrothal. Amanda did the next best thing a mother could do: she confronted the woman.

Amanda remembered the day; it was a day of disrespect and anger when she met T'Pring after all those years. She confronted her about her display of disrespect toward her koon'ul[betrothal]. T'Pring looked down at Amanda the human with distaste, stating that she would not marry Spock the legend and that this was her right. Amanda wished she could have slapped her or taken a sword and run her through. T'Pring had no intention of marrying her son, and that hurt. Amanda looked into the woman's eyes (the eyes don't lie) and saw hatred; T'Pring actually hated her son.

As the years moved on, the rumors persisted and concern for Spock's life put stress on Amanda. She went to T'Pau about it; she too had heard statements about T'Pring seeking a challenger in order to rid herself of Spock. T'Pau looked at the woman who had married her son and was now seeking advice on behalf of her grandson. T'Pau wondered why the woman had not immersed herself in the marital laws before now.

"Amanda, thee have known about this for some time; plans are in place. The kali-i-farr has been proposed. The woman is within her rights to challenge the marriage at the appointed time. Regardless, one male in the challenge must die, and the victor will win the woman. It is done."

Amanda sat heavy-hearted, remembering those events. Tears formed in her eyes. She had worried so much over Spock, hoping that just one time he would get a break in life. Amanda hated that part of Vulcan culture, knowing her son could be killed by a rival Vulcan if T'Pring chose the challenge. _Cold-hearted bi**h!_ she had thought to herself, drowning her fear in anger. At the time it had seemed so far off, the idea that he would find happiness.

Amanda remembered the com-link. She and Sarek had been on a diplomatic mission on behalf of the Federation when she heard that the ship that Spock was assigned had been diverted to Vulcan, and he was preparing for his wedding. Her thoughts and emotions overwhelmed her bond with Sarek, so her husband rushed to her in concern. She informed him that Spock was on Vulcan getting married. They rushed back to Vulcan, hoping to be present for the ceremony. They hadn't been far away, just two days at warp 5. But by the time they returned to Vulcan, Spock and the Enterprise had already warped out, missing them by 12 hours. Amanda had looked at Sarek, voicing her greatest fear through their bond: _Is our son dead?_ Amanda had rushed to Spock's old bedroom, afraid to hear the outcome of the kal-i-fee. As she looked around his room, filled with awards and medals, the fear overwhelmed her and she collapsed on the floor.

Sarek sought out his mother to learn the outcome of his son's wedding and found that T'Pring had gone through with the challenge. His mother's comments comforted Sarek, letting him know that his son was alive and had returned to the ship.

"The woman T'Pring has succeeded in dissolving the marriage between her and thy son. The champion she selected was most fascinating and unorthodox, Sarek. Thee woman T'Pring chose a Terran friend of Spock's."

Sarek's eyebrow rose: "Fascinating."

"Indeed, the Terran succumbed to the wounds made by Spock." T'Pau looked at her son. "I granted Spock his divorce; I grieve with thee for the loss of his friend and Spock."

When Sarek returned to find his wife on the floor, he lifted her and placed her on their bed. He opened their bond to find fear, despair, anger, and a feeling of great loss for her son. He held his human wife, whom he had cherished all these years. Later, Sarek relayed the story from T'Pau of the challenge and its outcome. Amanda had expressed anger toward Sarek, embarrassment that T'Pring had stood Spock up at the altar, and disappointment that her son was alone again. It took a couple of months to forgive Sarek, and herself too, because she had agreed to it as well. She attempted several times to contact the ship to check on his well-being; he eventually sent a message saying that he was well.

As Amanda remembered the whole event, she said out loud, "Nothing like your fiancée leaving you at the altar, but to have one of his friends fight for a woman who didn't even want him and get killed over it? It's just too much." Amanda shook her head. _Being a Vulcan is tough!_

Then, about a year later, Sarek was assigned to the Babel conference. Amanda was excited about getting to see Spock on his ship. Sarek was not thrilled; he stood his ground and held an unchanged attitude about Spock's decision to join Starfleet. When they finally saw Spock, Sarek and he were more distant than ever; Spock probably thought Sarek blamed him for his failed Kai-i-farr. She watched Sarek give Spock such a cold shoulder that even his captain noticed and tried to help. Then Sarek's heart attack put fear into Amanda. Through their bond, she felt her husband's pain, and her body suffered too; Sarek had been trying to keep his illness from her for some time. Amanda had been so focused on Spock that she had forgotten her Adun; that grieved her. She loved Sarek with her whole heart; they both suffered for long. When she was alone, Amanda cried bitterly over Sarek, thinking of all the things they had endured and trying to push away thoughts of life without her Ashayam. The core of her whole life could be gone if Spock wouldn't step forward.

Spock sensed his father's pain and briefly opened the family bond; it grieved him as well, but he had responsibilities as a Vulcan and an officer.*

Tears ran down Amanda's face, for what she had done to her son, demanding that he save her man, his father from death. She couldn't conceive of life without Sarek. The heart attack brought new closeness to the family she and Sarek had created. Somehow her Vulcan son Spock had saved the family, and for the first time in 18 years, father and son were talking. Amanda did notice how attentive the nurse was to Spock during his recovery, but Spock didn't pay her any mind. The trip to Babel was a success in Amanda's eyes because her husband and son had finally repaired their schism.

When Spock had hinted that he was in a relationship with a crew member, she had thought the nurse was the one he was attracted to. Now to see that Spock was finally married and to see the happiness in his eyes (the eyes don't lie) brought peace to Amanda's heart, mind, and soul. Spock was safe for the first time in his life; she was so proud of her son, and her husband.

A chime came from the com-link; it was Nyota. Amanda quickly downloaded the images; they opened in front of her, and what she saw took her breath away. Tears started flowing harder down her face and a deep cry projected from her heart; Sarek felt the disturbance in their bond and responded quickly. He found her crying uncontrollably at the desk where they had sat just moments ago.

"Amanda, you are in grave distress," he said, kneeling to hold his wife by her shoulders. "Aduna, your distress has affected me; please explain."

Amanda reached for him and continued crying on his shoulder. Sarek looked down at the com-link and saw the image of Spock with his wife after their wedding; he noticed that Spock was wearing his IDIC symbol on his formal robe, and he even saw it on Nyota's gown. Her gown complemented the color of Spock's robe. They were touching their fingers in the ozh'esta, revealing their intimacy. Sarek had to admit to himself that his son looked pleased.

"Sarek! He looks so happy! I know that's not the right word, but look at them—they look content! That's the word!"

As Amanda tried to explain through her tears, Sarek opened a drawer to pull out a cloth to wipe his wife's face. Amanda touched Sarek's arm and looked at him.

"Adun, please help our son come home, not only to us but to Vulcan as well." She tried to breathe, but tears of joy kept flowing. "He's been through so much. I'll try not to be so emotional."

"Amanda, you are a Terran; emotions are part of you."

Amanda reached over and touched the screen to reveal another picture of the whole wedding party, including Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy. Seeing Spock surrounded by his friends caused her to smile with joy. _My son has friends!_ She looked at the image of Spock looking down at his wife with tenderness. It brought back memories of her courtship with Sarek, they way he had looked at her said it all. Words could not describe what he felt for her. Amanda projected her former feelings through their bond, and Sarek responded, placing his two fingers against hers, sharing in her joy.

Amanda reached out and touched the screen again to reveal Spock and Nyota strumming their ka'athyras. Sarek's brow lifted:

"Fascinating! She is able to play this instrument; it would be quite interesting to hear Ms. Nyota perform."

Amanda smiled, seeing something different. She saw love, and she knew Sarek was proud of his son, even if he would never say it. Amanda got his attention:

"Sarek, we must give them a reception; they deserve something from us."

He looked down at her: "I agree. I'll see to the arrangements and send the pictures to T'Pau."

"Yes, she would like to see her grandson married."

"Have you recovered from your event, my wife, so I can attend to your request?"

"Yes, Sarek, darling. I'm much better now; thank you."

Sarek stood up and left to start making arrangements, while Amanda continued to stare at the last picture of Spock and Nyota playing their lyres. She had waited so long for this moment, and now it had finally happened. Her smile widened and a giggle erupted from her:

_"Grandchildren!"_

Through their bond, Sarek answered; _"Indeed!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: *Star Trek TOS: Journey to Babel: the scene where Sarek collapsed on the floor, take a good look at Spock's reaction (the eyes don't lie).


	3. The Honor of T'Pau

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta Reader: Jsilver2000

The next morning during breakfast, Sarek and Amanda were sipping tea and eating the last of their breakfast. Spock's marriage had not only brought contentment to Amanda, it had rekindled her emotional and physical attraction to Sarek. It has been too long for both of them; the process of mending their family continued. Sarek and Amanda shared intimate thoughts through their bond; a mischievous smile came across her face and was answered by a twitch from Sarek. The interchange brought back fond memories of their courtship and their bonding ceremony long ago. Amanda reminisced about how men had been attracted to her and how Sarek—without ever losing his Vulcan composure—had efficiently run off his competition. Sarek's brow arched as he turned his smoldering eyes on his wife while they shared their thoughts at the table.

Amanda gave a deep sigh of contentment:

"Thank you, Sarek, for making the arrangements for the reception."

"They are still in the preliminary stages; I will present my suggestions to T'Pau and continue from there."

"I wonder if she received the holo-vids of Spock's wedding?"

"I sent the vids yesterday per your request; I am meeting with T'Pau today to discuss the reception."

Amanda reached over and touched Sarek's hand, enjoying the feel of his warmth. She smiled at him again.

"I hope she is pleased that her grandson is bonded now and out of danger."

"Spock was not in danger, Amanda. He has 4.879 years before his Time."

Amanda rolled her eyes and said, "I meant that he wouldn't be challenged for his bride."

"Ah, yes. It is preferable that he avoid combat; however, if he were ever forced to take part in a challenge against a Vulcan, I expect he would be successful due to his many years of training in Suus Mahna, as well as his Starfleet combat training."

"Sarek, do you think Starfleet will release Spock and Nyota from their duties to attend their reception?"

"I will make their superiors understand that their presence is required on Vulcan."

Sarek stood up to start his day. He extended two fingers toward Amanda, who reciprocated the gesture with a smile. Sarek's private little paradise was to see Amanda smile only for him. Sarek left to petition for his son's reception. First, he must present it to his mother, the matriarch of the S'chn T'gai clan. T'Pau's support would be critical in securing the Vulcan society's acceptance of Spock and Nyota's bonding.

* * *

**The Honor of T'Pau**

Meanwhile, T'Pau was sitting in front of her com-link viewing a Terran wedding vid. She saw her grandson performing the ozh'esta with a Terran female while they were surrounded by other Starfleet officers. She saw her grandson wearing the formal robe of the S'chn T'gai clan, along with his IDIC medallion. Her sharp eyes picked out the subtle IDIC pattern in the woman's dress. T'Pau's brow rose as she viewed the images. But when she saw the female playing the Vulcan Ka'athyra, even the indomitable T'Pau was impressed: _Indeed! Terrans are so unpredictable. This one is fascinating!_

T'Pau remembered when Sarek had presented Amanda at their wedding ceremony. It was unorthodox at the time. There had been speculation that the DNA of humans was not compatible with Vulcan blood (copper-based vs. iron-based), so it was thought that there would be no children. And Vulcan prejudice led many clan members to believe that Amanda would be a bundle of sloppy emotions, an embarrassment to the extended family. These notions did not sit well with many of the clan. But the main concern was whether the woman would survive Sarek's Time. Human physiology was vastly different from that of Vulcans. The much denser body structure and overwhelming strength were concerns. T'Pau had been astonished that not only had the woman Amanda survived Sarek's Time, but she also performed commendably during the ceremony amidst Sarek's clan members.

Sarek had never replied to the question of why he had chosen Amanda Grayson, a Terran female. There was no logical reason. T'Pau's brow lifted. Clearly a physical attraction must have developed; the female was different from Vulcan females. From a Vulcan perspective, Amanda's eyes, hair color, and skin color were exotic. Perhaps that was the reason Sarek had been attracted to her and pursued her, as T'Pau sat and thought to herself her rationization; _Terrans are_ _obnoxious_ _creatures, but they are unique in some ways:_

_First, Terrans are multicolored; there is a wide range of colors and tones to human skin. Vulcans are monotone, with slight variations depending on which region of the planet they are from._

_Second, Terrans have multiple hair lengths, textures, and colors, from bald to hair short enough to stand straight up, to waist-length; from curly or wavy to straight; and from white to yellow-blonde, red-orange tinted, black, and brown some other colors thatTerrans achieve by artificial means. The combinations seem endless. Vulcans generally have straight black or gray hair, and many males wear a simple bowl cut to honor the great Surak. Sarek is the only one in the S'chn T'gai clan with a slight curl to his hair, and he stands out._

_Third, Terrans have various eye colors: brown, dark brown, golden brown, green, and blue, whereas Vulcan eyes are dark brown to brown. The blue eyes are the most intriguing; they reflect the sea or seem to provide a window into the person's inner thoughts._

T'Pau had slowly gained respect for Terrans; she had not had much respect for them in the beginning, during the development of the Federation. She had observed that greed and ambition were the primary drives of Terrans; this observation caused her to distance herself from involvement in the formation of the Federation of Planets. They needed her support; she grudgingly gave only as much as was required. She did not want Vulcans to mingle with Terrans, yet her son did the very thing she was concerned about. She accepted it: _Kaiidth._ Yes, Amanda Grayson had impressed and intrigued her when she endured Sarek's Time and produced an heir. She had also endured many Vulcans' coolness toward her, advocated (illogically, of course) for Spock before his Kal-i-farr, with the ires of T'Pring's indiscretions. The female Amanda had been a steadfast mate to Sarek and a supportive and patient mother to Spock for all these years; for that, T'Pau had reassessed Sarek's choice of bondmate.

T'Pau had become interested in Terran behaviors, finding them more tolerable than in the past. She glanced at the wedding photo containing Kirk and McCoy, Spock's Starfleet friends, and her brow went up. _Interesting,_ was her thought. Kirk and McCoy had supported Spock admirably during his Kal-i-fee. The doctor had saved both her grandson and his captain from death during the traditional marriage ceremony. T'Pau found the knowledge that Spock's friend had survived the Kal-i-fee to be fascinating. She admired the means the healer had used to break the blood fever and save Kirk. When she had first discovered that Kirk was still alive, she had thought the doctor's interference in the matter to be unorthodox for a healer. But that was not the only time the doctor had saved her grandson, not to mention that he had also saved Sarek when he fell ill during the Babel conference. Now, she realized that, if anything, she owed the healer respect.

T'Pau looked at the vid again to examine the female who had become bonded to Spock. She did not look like a typical human female. She appeared to have strong, yet gentle, features. Perhaps her Starfleet training had given her character. T'Pau would soon see whether this female had tenacity equal to Amanda's. If so, she too would be an acceptable addition to the S'chn T'gai clan. More so than the female T'Pring, who had brought dishonor to the clan, publicly entertaining other suitors and showing them affection. This was unorthodox and unethical. T'Pring's behavior had been unacceptable; that she had dared to force a Terran to take part in the challenge was her folly. It was unheard of and could have resulted in ripping open the veil of secrecy over Vulcan mating customs if the Terran had won or had actually died. Regardless, if T'Pring had viewed Spock as less than Vulcan, than she was as much a fool as Stonn, the male she had chosen to replace Spock. It had pleased her to divorce Spock from the unworthy female. It had been only the second time in her life that T'Pau had openly showed displeasure in someone's conduct. T'Pring was at the top of a very short list.

T'Pau again examined the female, wondering if she was prepared to endure Spock's Time. The woman did not appear timid, and her body appeared to be strong enough to bear a Vulcan child. T'Pau would examine the bond as well as the physical condition of the woman. T'Pau was pleased that her grandson had found someone to bond with, and she would conduct the necessary procedures to determine whether the woman was worthy of her grandson. Even though her grandson was not fully Vulcan, T'Pau neither despised nor rejected the boy. Spock had expressed many emotions as a young child, unable to rein in his explosive emotions as other children his age did. His course through life was made much more difficult by the rejection of his people. His training in the Way of Surak was his salvation. Although he got started a little more slowly than most Vulcan children, by the time he reached secondary school, Spock had outperformed all his Vulcan peers and was challenging his instructors. Many who had preconceived notions of the limits of his Terran heritage were astonished by his scholarly performance. They had believed that a Vulcan–Terran hybrid would be physically and mentally inferior. But Spock's mind was magnificent. He not only scored in the 98th percentile on his intelligence assessments; his psi score ranked nearly as high. Somehow, his combination of Vulcan and Terran genes had produced enhanced telepathic powers. T'Pau had touched his consciousness during his betrothal ceremony at age seven, and somehow he had managed to control his thoughts. The healers were astonished to learn of his mental development and the strength of his telepathy; they wanted to study him in more detail and to subject him to invasive testing. Sarek and Amanda had politely (although Amanda had been livid) declined their invitation, for which T'Pau was grateful. She would have had to step in otherwise. Her grandson needed acceptance and teaching, not poking and prodding.

Spock became his own Vulcan, his own person. He broke with tradition by not following his forefathers to study at the Vulcan Science Academy; instead, he left Vulcan to attend Starfleet Academy among emotional Terrans and went on to become a Starfleet officer. Unorthodox. Even Sarek—he had married a Terran female against Vulcan traditions (unorthodox again). There was something about the two Vulcan men in this clan; they were direct descendants of Surak, but T'Pau had no logical reason for their rebelliousness. Both of them had paid a price for their failure to observe tradition, and this was the time to bring all their power and that of their allies to bear in order to secure their positions in the S'chn T'gai clan and Vulcan society.

Some time later, Sarek came to T'Pau's estate to discuss the reception.

Sarek stepped into T'Pau's office, where she was leaning on her cane, searching her library for one of the ancient books. Sarek helped her retrieve the book from the shelf and placed it on her desk. She bowed her head in thanks and sat, looking up at Sarek expectantly.

"Dif-tor heh smusma, Sa-fu" [Live long and prosper, Son].

"Sochya eh dif, Ko-mekh" [Peace and long life, Mother].

"Have you received the wedding pictures of Spock and his bride?"

"I have viewed them."

"Spock has communicated that he and his bride have performed the bonding ceremony, as well as the Terran wedding ritual, to ensure that their marriage is legally documented in both the Vulcan and the Terran records, in case anything should befall them before their return to Vulcan to authenticate the bond.

"Indeed, he put his position in Starfleet at risk by him placing such an action, but he as insured his bondmate her place in the clan. Spock's actions to protect his bride are commendable."

"Tell me of the female bonded to my grandson, Sarek."

"From our com-link conversation, the female appears to be acceptable. Her aptitude for mathematics and science is impressive, but her greatest talent lies in linguistics. She has mastered at least two dialects of Vulcansu, which is remarkable for a Terran."

"What is the name of the child?"

"It is from a Terran language called Swahili; her name is Nyota Uhura, and she was raised in the United States of Africa."

T'Pau had noted the female's skin tones, another Terran marvel. Her skin was smooth and dark, with a glow to it. _Spock must find it aesthetically pleasing_ , she thought. _He used to immerse himself in nature as a child, and his wife's skin tones evoke the dark hills of the country surrounding the family estate._

"Interesting."

"Nyota has also mastered other xeno-languages and served in the diplomatic corps when she was still at the Academy. Her assistance with intergalactic translations was vital during the Babel Conference."

"The child also plays the Ka'athyra." T'Pau clicked on the monitor to show the image of Spock and his wife holding their instruments.

"Correct. She is an avid musician. She stated that she acquired the instrument as a teenager."

"Fascinating. Is the child aware that Spock will undergo the pon farr?"

"Yes, Ko-mekh. Spock explained to her what the pon farr entails, and she has bonded with him in full knowledge of what is to come."

T'Pau raised an eyebrow in approval.

"What is thy concern, Sa-fu?"

"Spock has indicated that the bond is developing a strength that he had not experienced during his betrothal to T'Pring. Spock opened the familial bond and I was able to observe that it is strong."

"With your permission, I will touch thy mind, Sarek, to ascertain this."

Sarek knelt before his mother to present his face for the meld; she touched his psi points and entered his thoughts. She released Sarek after a minute;

"Spock's ability has grown since he was a child. Thee are correct to reveal this to me; it is imperative that Spock return to Vulcan to have the bond authenticated, and a Healer for his wife so no danger in the marriage bond, would not affect her physically."

"My aduna recommends a reception to receive Spock and his wife and to celebrate all his accomplishments for our people."

T'Pau looked at her son, thinking, _Spock has endured more than any Vulcan since the time of Surak._

"I agree with thy wife. Such formal recognition by the pillars of Vulcan society will eradicate the insult our clan suffered during Spock's Kal-i-farr. Spock has been shunned for far too long. I will make it so before the Vulcan High Council."

"Will they honor such a request?"

"Sarek, they WILL honor our clan. It is our right!" T'Pau replied, thumping her cane hard on the floor. She was determined that Spock and the S'chn T'gai clan would get the respect they deserve.

"Spock is an heir of Surak. His name will be respected and thine as well. It is DONE!"

"Dif-tor heh smusma, Ko-mekh" [Live long and prosper, Mother]

"Sochya eh dif, Sa-fu" [Peace and long life, Son].

Sarek left to go to his office to write the proposal for a reception in honor of Spock and his bride. His plan included all the delegates that he had worked with and forged relationships with throughout the decades. Sarek had connections with many allies who would support the reception proposal; the Vulcan High Council couldn't refuse. Once the proposal was complete, his mother would present it. T'Pau had taken part in Council matters on many occasions with significant outcomes. She would make her case for why the counsel should put expenditure toward the reception.

After Sarek left, T'Pau called for her assistant T'Lara, an intern lawyer, to help her prepare her argument before the council. T'Lara was a ward of the clan whose studies of the ancient laws before and after Surak made her a valuable asset.

"T'Lara?"

"Yes, Mistress?"

"Your services are needed to research our clan; retrieve the ancient books of the lawgivers."

"Yes, Mistress. Can you specify?"

"I will give you clarity; our clan needs to prepare for the Prince of Vulcan, the heir to our people, Vulcan will receive and respect who we are child, go now."

T'Lara bowed her head in respect, picks up a Padd and left to carry out her mission at Shi'Kahr's historical library.

T'Pau had a lot to do, but not much time. She would flex her political muscle for the well-being of her clan and her grandson. She would prepare her arguments for the Vulcan High Council's formal recognition of Spock's accomplishments and his marriage—as well as her accusations against the S'oleh-nau clan's T'Pring, for her choice of challenger. T'Pau had not forgotten T'Pring's insolence at the Kal-i-farr or kal-i-fee. T'Pau had waited patiently, biding her time, for just the right moment. And this was it. The matriarch of the other clan would pay a price for T'Pring's exposure of Vulcan mating customs to outworlders and her indifference to Spock's fate. The S'chn T'gai clan would not be undermined again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I love T'Pau, when I first saw her in the TOS, she was powerful, no joke. Kirk was so intimidated that he took the challenge at Spock's wedding to keep face (not too bright). But her character stands out, and I have read many stories, from antagonistic points of view to supportive ones. I love me some T'Pau. Her abrasive nature reminds me of my grandmother and Judge Judy! All hail the little women!  
> Also, I thought about Spock's telepathic abilities; they were revealed in three episodes:  
> A Taste of Armageddon  
> By Any Other Name  
> The Omega Glory  
> Those episodes showed Spock using his power without touching the subject. His mind reached out to them,and demonstrating Spock's capabilities with his telepathy, even Kirk make him use in situations. These are the only times I've seen Spock use them. The episodes didn't mention whether all Vulcans have this power, but the touch telepathy of Vulcans is well known. Spock plays down his powers in most cases.


	4. The Battle for Spock—T'Pau's Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta Reader: Jsilver2000
> 
> Chapter 4
> 
> Summary: T'Pau is bound and determined to bring Spock home to ceremonially validate his bond with Nyota and present her to Vulcan society as his wife. T'Pau and Sarek have also decided to flex the power of the S'chn T'gai clan to coerce the Vulcan High Command into hosting a reception on Altairs VI in Spock's honor.

**The Battle for Spock—T'Pau's Way**

A week later, Solen of the S'oleh-nau clan—the father of T'Pring—received an electronic message stating that even though he had accepted Stonn as his son-in-law, irregularities had occurred during their courtship, rendering the legality of their marriage in question. As he read the message, Solen's eyebrows lifted toward his bangs. Padd in hand, he went directly to the matriarch of his clan and presented the message.

T'Lan was sitting in her garden by a pool when her nephew presented himself with as much concern as would be tolerated by the matriarch.

"T'Lan, we are summoned to the Vulcan High Command to answer to charges relating to T'Pring's indiscretion."

T'Lan had known this day would come—the day to answer the to S'chn T'gai clan for T'Pring's actions during the Kal-i-farr. It caused her great concern. She had known T'Pau for many decades; they had both served as matriarchs to their clans with the shared goal of preserving their people. It was T'Lan who had approved the match 28 years ago; it should have strengthened the clan's position with the High Command. But the silly child hadn't followed protocol and instead used the opportunity to challenge Spock's right to her. Now T'Lan must present her case and defend T'Pring—and more importantly—the clan's position in Vulcan society.

"Indeed, what does the charge consist of?"

Solen stood before his aunt and said, "The High Command is requesting an explanation of T'Pring's choice."

"It is within her right to choose a champion in the Kal-i-fee; no law was broken."

"I am aware of her rights, T'Lan. But they insist on your presence."

T'Lan looked at her nephew: "Your lack of knowledge hinders your understanding; I will go to them."

"Explain, Matriarch."

"The Kal-i-farr has never been documented or laid out in detail for outworlders, especially not the Kal-i-fee! Your daughter T'Pring chose unwisely when she selected the Terran, who had no desire for the Kal-i-farr. He was not considered a champion—and other challengers, at least one, were available. The Terran was unprepared, unskilled, and unaware of the implications of our traditions. With her choice, T'Pring exposed Vulcans' most private traditions to outworlders and risked the life of a highly placed Terran. The consequences could have been severe, resulting in a great loss of status for our people and our culture, not to mention damaging or even destroying our relationship with the Federation. T'Pau could ask for compensation if laws were broken at that time."

Solen stood rigid as comprehension dawned: "Are you implying T'Pau could annul the marriage between Stonn and T'Pring?"

"It is possible for Spockah to reclaim what he has lost, Solen."

"Indeed."

"Go request an audience with Sarek and T'Pau; perhaps we can come to an understanding before the Vulcan High Command intervenes."

Solen left to send a message to the S'chn T'gai matriarch T'Pau.

* * *

A few hours later, at T'Pau's compound, Solen and T'Lan met with T'Pau and Sarek. They were all in T'Pau's library when T'Lara served tea.

The two elder women seated themselves; Sarek and Solen stood near their respective matriarchs' chairs. T'Pau—for a Vulcan—was in a good mood, though not to say jovial. The women raised their hands in greeting.

_"Dif-tor heh smusma, T'Lan."_

_"_ _Sochya eh dif, T'Pau_ _._ How can I be of service to you?"

T'Pau's eyebrow twitched in answer to T'Lan's question, but she cut to the chase.

"We had an agreement, T'Lan, which I honored; I pledged my grandson to your grandniece."

"I am aware of the contract; it was honored."

"I was there when the Kal-i-fee was issued; that was in her right."

"Agreed; it was her right to challenge."

"What have you to say of her choice?"

"The child's choice was also in her right."

"We are here to dispute her choice. Our laws are binding; our laws are to protect the victor and the challenger."

T'Lan wanted to squirm in her seat, but she sat still, preserving her dignity and ready to defend against T'Pau's challenge.

"T'Pring was within her right to choose her champion."

"Indeed; that's the law. The visitors were friends of Spock—their role was to observe his participation in the Kal-i-farr, not to take part in our beliefs or traditions without knowledge. The human was unaware of many aspects of this."

"Yet the human took the challenge, T'Pau. What need is there to discuss this now?"

"As I have said before, T'Lan, the human was unaware of many aspects of the Kal-i-farr. If the human had full knowledge of what the Kal-i-fee entailed, his choice would have been different."

"The woman makes the choice of champion; the law states this."

"Does the law also cover one's conduct prior to the Kal-i-farr, T'Lan? It was observed and commented on that the woman T'Pring searched for a champion, despite her pledge to Spock. What of these reports that the woman had suitors address you, T'Lan, to ask for Koon-ut-so'lik. The contract was disrupted when her conduct continued through the years before the Kal-i-farr."

T'Lan searched her mind for a rebuttal but had trouble avoiding the truth: T'Pring's conduct before the marriage had been an error. T'Pau had her boxed in.

"It was well within her right to seek another worthy bondmate, if Spock was not here to attend to her needs."

"Spock is to blame for T'Pring's conduct?" T'Pau's voice strained almost into a growl. "Did you describe Stonn as a worthy bondmate, T'Lan?"

"Sarek's choice of mate defied our traditions and invited an outworlder to know of our ways."

"So Sarek is the reason for T'Pring's indiscretions?"

"Your grandson has made a name for himself. He's part of Starfleet, not of our world, our people. He does not partake of things that are Vulcan."

T'Pau did not suffer insults to her clan lightly, even from an old colleague. T'Lan's insinuation that Sarek had tarnished the S'chn T'gai clan and that this was a factor in T'Pring's actions was an insult not to be borne. In her efforts to clear her grandniece, T'Lan had chosen her words poorly, adding fuel to the fire instead.

"This justifies T' Pring's conduct to break the contract and sever the bond? I see you continue to make unfounded and unwarranted statements. I have spoken to the Vulcan High Command and stated my case in regard to Spock's Kal-i-farr. They agreed that T'Pring's insolence and behavior brought outsiders into a sacred ritual, exposing our way of life to judgment and ridicule. It seems from this conversation that we have NOT come to terms with T'Pring's actions. I have asked for compensation; it was granted to me, T'Lan. In the absence of compensation, I will declare _naul-tor_ [a feud] against the S'oleh-nau clan."

The two males bodies had stiffened at T'Pau's statement. A feud among the clans was exceedingly rare in modern times; it had been centuries since the last one. Sarek suspected his mother was bluffing.

"Now I will confer with my son Sarek about what recompense from your clan might be considered appropriate. We will notify you when we have decided. The High Command awaits your presence, T'Lan and Solen. Now I have other matters to attend to."

"Feuds among our people have been condemned for centuries, T'Pau."

"The laws still apply and have not changed, even since the 'Awakening' T'Lan. It is my right, and it will be done—in the absence of compensation."

T'Pau stood up with her cane and looked at T'Lan, realizing that the other had made a grave mistake. T'Lan reluctantly raised her hand in the _ta'al_ _._

"We will consider any offer you make, T'Pau."

_"Dif-tor heh smusma, T'Lan."_

_"Sochya eh dif._

T'Pau returned her salute; with that, T'Lan and Solen left with heavy hearts. The clan would have to pay for what T'Pring had brought down upon them.

T'Pau turned to her son: "Now on to the matter of the reception on Altair VI. Sarek, we need to appeal to the Vulcan High Command to provide all funding, aid, and services for Spock and his bride."

The President of the United Federation of Planets has granted us permission for the reception to be held there, it is an acceptable area to accommodate invited guests."

"Sarek your service as Ambassador to the Federation has shown favor, it has placed value in this quest."

Sarek looked at his mother: "Indeed."

Sarek is aware that Vulcan High Command will accept the location versus Vulcan itself. Only selected outworlders were permitted on the planet, without strict protocols. Altairs VI is the perfect forum to display such events.

* * *

Two days later, Sarek stood before the Vulcan High Command; their decision would determine whether the reception on Altairs VI would be funded. The Vulcan High Command consisted of an administrator and commissioners who determined how to handle issues that would affect the whole planet. Sarek had presented himself to speak on his and T'Pau's proposal to have Spock recognized for all his achievements and to acknowledge his marriage. Three female and four male commissioners heard Sarek's case. Sarek greeted the commissioners.

 _"_ _Dif-tor heh smusma_ _,_ Commissioners of Vulcan."

 _"_ _Sochya eh dif, S'chn T'gai Sarek._ How can we serve you?"

"I hereby notify you that my son Spock has bonded; our clan proposes that the Vulcan High Command hold a reception on Altairs VI to celebrate his achievements and ceremonially validate his bond with his mate."

"Your clan is within its rights to choose to acknowledge Spock's marital status," T'Ara said. "But Spock is in the service of Starfleet Command; there are protocols to follow in order to secure his return to Vulcan."

"We have no jurisdiction over Starfleet Command; Spock must seek release from them," Suter commented.

"A request from the Vulcan High Command to Starfleet will expedite Spock's return, Sarek asserted; "His mission is scheduled to continue for another 3.567 years. It is customary for the marital bond to be authenticated soon after the bonding."

"Has Spock bonded with a Vulcan female?" Sudoc asked.

"Spock has bonded with a Terran female from his ship."

"Interesting," T'Ara observed, slowly glancing at the other commissioners in turn.

"Are there health concerns?" Solor asked.

"Any form of bonding or mind meld invites health concerns, Sarek replied. "It is wise to have the matriarch and a healer verify the connection."

The seven commissioners looked at one another and nodded in agreement.

"We will speak to Starfleet on your behalf and request Spock's release to return to Vulcan on medical grounds," T'Ara said.

"However, we fail to understand the request for a ceremonial celebration of Spock's achievements on Altairs VI? If you wish to hold such a celebration, that will fall on your clan, Sarek," Sudoc said.

"Agreed, Spock's bonding is a private matter, outworlders are not often permitted to attend our Kal-i-farr. The celebration of his bonding align with his achievement is what Schn"Tgai clan is requesting on Altairs VI.

The commissioners slowly bowed their heads and glared at each other.

Sudoc stared at Sarek: "We acknowledge that Commander Spock's bonding to a Terran needs verification, but our decision to provide financial support to the reception is not valid."

Sudoc looking at Suter

"Our decision is final."

"We have a meeting with T'Pau 15.458 minutes from now on another matter," Suter said. With that, the commissioners raised their hands in the _ta'al_ _._

_"Dif-tor heh smusma, S'chn T'gai Sarek."_

_"_ _Sochya eh dif_ _,_ Commissioners."

Sarek bowed his head in respect and left, feeling pleased. The meeting with the Vulcan High Command had gone well; he had predicted that the commissioners would turn down the reception. Now his mother would go to work on them to get them to finance the reception. Sarek looked forward to reporting to his beloved Amanda that she would see Spock soon.

* * *

The Commissioners and T'Pau exchanged the usual greetings and seated themselves in a conference room with a high ceiling and tinted windows. T'Lara took up her place behind her matriarch with a Padd in her hand.

"Was the compensation from the S'oleh-nau clan acceptable, T'Pau?" T'Ara asked.

"Indeed. T'Lan had difficulty processing the information, but clarity came soon enough."

"Explain your presence," Sudoc snapped.

T'Pau's eagle-sharp eyes raked Sudoc, but she battled back the impulse to pounce on him for his disrespect. _Patience._

"I offer salutations on your decision to expedite my grandson's return to Vulcan to authenticate his bond," T'Pau said.

"A marital bond to another Terran," Sudoc sneered.

"Sarek requested that the Vulcan High Command hold a reception to honor Spock for his accomplishments," Solor commented.

"Spock is Vulcan. His achievements do honor to Vulcan and should be acknowledged by this body, which represents all of Vulcan," T'Pau argued, raising a brow. "I am hearing disregard of the accomplishments of my offspring. Therefore, I will remind the Commissioners of our Vulcan history."

As a body, the commissioners each arched an eyebrow.

"S'chn T'gai Sarek, formerly Ambassador to Earth, was once bonded to a Vulcan female," T'Pau said. "I will remind you that the woman chose not to continue the marriage, leaving Sarek to suffer the pon farr without a mate. During his diplomatic duties on Earth, he chose to bond with a female Terran. I validated the marriage bond; the woman endured his pon farr and gave birth to the next heir to the clan. Sarek continues to represent the Vulcan people on Earth and other Federation planets, with all aware that he has bonded with the Terran. Sarek's exemplary work is recognized by Starfleet Command, which has asked several times for his assistance in defusing volatile interplanetary situations. Sarek has earned the respect of all those he has encountered but has asked for nothing. As for his bonded wife, she has made great contributions to linguistics, including being part of the team that created and continues to refine the universal translator. Her facility with languages has been of immense assistance to Sarek in diplomatic negotiations, and her Terran personality has been a great asset as well, helping him to better understand and relate to other species."

"We are aware of the regard that Starfleet and the Federation of Planets hold for Sarek; it is the reason he was assigned to those positions. It is his duty to represent Vulcan in those areas," T'Dess said.

"Then we are all in agreement that Sarek's duties are performed for the benefit of all Vulcans," T'Pau said, cutting her off. "Now we will focus on Commander Spock."

"S'chn T'gai Spock does not participate in any form of diplomacy; his position is not comparable to his father's," Sudoc said dismissively.

"That is where you err, Sudoc, T'Pau said. "Spock is equal to and as vital as his father in matters of diplomacy."

"Spock is a commander in Starfleet, which is a military organization," Sudoc replied.

T'Pau again heard Sudoc's insolent tone. She slowly took a breath. _Patience._

"The records show that since his birth Spock has achieved the highest academic marks and outperformed many of his classmates and instructors as well."

"Yet he refused to attend the Vulcan Science Academy," Solor interjected.

"You treated him with disrespect of his heritage and abilities," T'Pau replied. "It was his right to seek academic challenges elsewhere, in a setting where students from many species were integrated."

"Spock could have enhanced his capacities greatly at the Academy; Starfleet's Science Division is a poor substitute," Sudoc declared.

"Did we not have the hubris to think that Vulcans were more capable than Terrans? Did we not all _**feel**_ the death cries of the 432 Vulcans on the Intrepid? Did we not all grieve that great loss? Do some not still do so?" T'Pau demanded, turning her sharp gaze on T'Dess, who had lost a grandson on the Intrepid. "It was a single Vulcan and 430 Terrans who found the Intrepid and discovered their fate. Was it not Spock who took the creature's genetic material—the same genetic material that at this moment our Science Division and the Academy use for synthesizing prototype serums? Spock and his commanding officers have also settled interplanetary disputes and been vital in restoring order in several interplanetary incidents. I fail to see the logic of your implications that Spock would have made greater contributions if he were not in Starfleet, Solor and Sudoc."

The Commissioners sat quietly, absorbing T'Pau's statements.

"What you request is quite elaborate and unnecessary, T'Pau," T'Dess remarked.

T'Pau had heard of enough of their excuses; it was time to pull out the big guns. She turned to T'Lara and reached for her Padd.

"I have no choice but to notify the president of the Federation of your decision. I believe he would like to know why the Vulcan High Command refuses to acknowledge Sarek and Spock. Or the fact that Vulcan has more at stake in the Federation's economy than many of its planets. Our annual income surplus can support the next three generations of Vulcans. This is so because of Sarek and Spock, two heirs of Surak, the Father of our fundamental principles."

Three of the Commissioners rose to their feet, their eyebrows arched. It was as much as they would allow themselves to express their shock.

"T'Pau, we recognize that your son and grandson are descendants of Surak, the architect of Vulcan's Great Awakening. Is it necessary to extort the commission?!" Solor demanded to know.

"I did not extort; I clearly explained my reasons for the request," T'Pau said. You and Sudoc failed to comprehend these reasons. I simply clarified my clan's position for you."

The seven Commissioners slowly looked around at each other. It was true that since the formation of the Federation of Planets, Vulcan had gained mining rights, established settlements, and forged lucrative trade agreements—due in great part to the diplomatic efforts of Sarek, as well as Spock.

" Your request is granted," T'Ara said.

"I am honored that the Commission has seen the value of my proposal, which includes all financial responsibility for accommodating guests and related matters."

"We will fulfill your requirements and arrange the reception."

T'Pau returned the Padd to T'Lara and slowly stood up with her cane. She bowed her head in gratitude.

 _"_ _Dif-tor heh smusma_ _,_ Commissioners of Vulcan."

 _"_ _Sochya eh dif_ _,_ S'chn T'gai T'Pau."

T'Pau and T'Lara walked out of the conference room, leaving behind seven solemn Commissioners.

"Are we so prejudiced that we failed to see the logic?" T'Dess asked.

The rest bowed their heads, silently acknowledging that they had been disrespectful, allowing prejudice to cloud their logic. Sarek and Spock of the S'chn T'gai clan had greatly expanded Vulcans' knowledge of and presence in the universe. The two had become respected among all races except their own.

"I will contact Starfleet Command to request that Commander Spock and his mate be released from duty to return to Vulcan for their bonding ceremony and the reception," T'Ara said.

"I will contact the Ministry of Economics to have assets released for the S'chn T'gai reception, Suter responded.


	5. Meeting the First Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta Reader: JSilver2000  
> Summary: T'Pau went into battle for Spock to bring him home to have his bond with Nyota ceremonially confirmed and to have a reception on Altair VI provided by all of Vulcan (after a just a smidgen of blackmail).

Over the next couple of days, the word that Spock had bonded with a Terran female spread throughout the provinces of Vulcan. The other new event was the new title that Sarek and Spock acquired; _"S'haile"_ and the respect behind it. And the fact the new respect being shown because of it. Amanda was beside herself; she couldn't believe how quickly and easily things fell into place. Sarek shared the results of his plan to have Spock's reception on Altair VI and the fact that T'Pau had convinced the Council to finance the event. In Amanda's mind, it was long overdue. _Vulcan should celebrate what Spock, as well as Sarek, had done for the people of Vulcan._ It would turn out to be a family event, but between the festivities, Amanda had a new relationship to establish.

"Sevel."

"Yes, T'Amanda? How can I be of service?"

"Please find the location and com-link of the Uhuras of the United States of Africa."

Sevel's eyebrow rose. "It is an interesting name."

"It is the surname of Spock's wife; her family dwells there. I need to speak with them about the upcoming reception."

"As you wish, T'Amanda."

"Oh, Sevel! How are your wife and child?"

"They are well; the child continues to develop normally."

"Thank you, Sevel. That will be all; your service honors us."

With that, Sevel bowed his head and went to seek information on the Uhuras.

* * *

A couple of hours later; back on Earth, in a small condominium in the United States of Africa, a handsome woman was completing her university work, grading student's work, adding information to her research and sipping tea. Her com-link lit up. She quickly observed two things:

First, it was private line. Second, it was from Vulcan. She couldn't remember any family or friends currently on Vulcan; the Enterprise is somewhere out in deep space probably in some unknown galaxy; so she wondered who could be calling.

Saana pressed the button for the incoming com-link connection. A woman appeared on the screen. She had salt and pepper hair, but her tanned face gave her a youthful look. Her eyes were bluish-gray; she had wrinkles at the corners because she was smiling, and pale pink lipstick. She had been a beauty in her youth, Saana could tell. Saana wondered who she was, and the two of them stared at each other for a moment.

"Hello. Are you Saana Uhura?"

"Yes, I am Saana Uhura."

"My name is Amanda Grayson."

Saana looked puzzled; she tilted her head ever so slightly, wracking her memory for the face on the screen.

"Your name sounds familiar. How can I help you?"

"Well, your daughter is married to my son!" Amanda said whimsically.

Saana again looked puzzled, in response to that statement "What? I don't understand? My daughter is married, but she is married to a Vulcan."

"I know, my son!" Amanda's smile widened as she watched shock spread over Saana's face. Saana covered her mouth with both hands while she tried to process the woman's statement.

"Commander Spock is YOUR SON?"

Amanda started to laugh. "I get that a lot. I gave birth to him, so according to natural law, he's mine."

Saana saw her reaction and started to giggle too. "Please forgive my manners; it's nice to meet you."

Amanda gave a small laugh from the recognition; "The same to you; I thought it was time I sought you out."

"I'm glad you did! Have you seen the holo-vids of their wedding?"

"Oh yes; they are a lovely couple, in my opinion."

"Your son looks so handsome in his formal robe."

"Thank you. Your daughter is quite beautiful in her wedding dress!" Amanda could see where Nyota got her looks and self-assurance from. Saana looked like an older version of Nyota and was still an attractive woman.

"Thank you! I'm so happy that Nyota found someone to love her; I can see it in their eyes!"

"Oh, you noticed that too? Only a mother could tell that about their children."

Amanda sighed with relief. _This woman is approachable and easy to talk to._

"Nyota's dress is different. Is it traditional?"

"Some of the patterns in the dress are traditional designs, but it looks so elegant. I wonder where she got it?"

"All I know is that it's a relief that my only son is married." _'_ _Not technically my only son, but that's another story, there is another._ '

"Really, he's your only son? Nyota is my only daughter too. I always feared she would be alone in this world and universe."

"I felt the same way about Spock. Saana we have something in common, and I am pleased about that."

"Does Nyota know that you are calling me?"

"Neither of them knows that I have reached out to you, but I felt that I should, now that we are family."

"I guess they are both busy; at least they are together."

Saana gave Amanda a suspicious look. _If her son is a Vulcan, she must be married to one. I'm not aware of any Vulcan–human marriages, except for one a long time ago_. Saana's eyes opened wide and she covered her mouth again as she realized whom she was speaking with:

"Oh my, you're THAT Amanda Grayson! You are married to a Vulcan ambassador!"

Amanda started to giggle: "Yes, I'm THAT woman!"

"It was on all the media circuits that your courtship and marriage was the love story of the century!"

"Really? It didn't seem so at the time. Well, thank you. I fell in love with a fantastic man. But I wanted to talk to you and get to know you, since you will be part of the family."

"Oh yes, but are you on Vulcan?"

"I am. I have lived here since I've been married. I had my period of adjustments, like any marriage will have. But coming to Vulcan was my greatest challenge with culture and traditions, and one thing you'll notice that it is hotter and dryer here, but I somehow call it home."

"The weather sounds like Africa, I think we are friends already!" Saana was so excited, her mind racing about what's life like on Vulcan and the history with their people.

"Yes. But I need to talk to you about something."

"Sure! How can I help you, Amanda?"

"Well, you know both our children are in Starfleet on a five-year mission."

"Yes. That's the part that's bothers me. I won't meet my son-in-law for at least a couple of years."

"That's the same issue with Spock coming home to Vulcan with my new daughter-in-law. But there are some things happening here that could bring both Spock and Nyota to Vulcan; they are in the preliminary stages right now."

"What! That would be great! When do you think?"

"That's the problem; it might take weeks or months, but either way, I am making arrangements for you, Saana, to come to Vulcan to see them both!"

Saana's mouth dropped open, and tears filled her eyes. Just the thought of seeing her daughter and Spock made her heart leap with joy. Kayode would have been so happy to meet Spock, that he is a man of science.

"But… How are you going to do that? They are exploring the universe somewhere unknown?"

Amanda gave a sly smile. "Don't worry; plans are falling into place. And don't worry about your trip, either; it will be all expense paid."

"I can't let you do that."

"Trust me, marriage to an ambassador has it's privileges," Amanda said, giggling.

"WOW! This is amazing! I've been off Earth. I mean, I've been to the moon for a holiday, but that's nothing compared to going to Vulcan! Thank you, Amanda!"

"You're family now, and it's not a problem. Now I want to give fair warning."

Amanda's demeanor changed and her face took on a grave look.

"You need to be aware that people can be cruel; prejudice is alive and may wreak havoc with our plans. Some people will be biased about their marriage."

"Why? What's going on?" Saana asked with rising concern.

"Just think about when I married Ambassador Sarek. Do you remember how some people reacted? Well, they might react the same way to Spock and Nyota's marriage. The media circuits has a way of twisting and insinuating things that are not there and blowing things out of proportion. Earth really don't know how Vulcan people are, and they are very private race. Trust me it's for a reason. But I want you to be prepared for the media circus; the reporters were everywhere and bothered almost everyone in my family. It was ridiculous!"

"First, don't talk about your daughter to anyone you don't trust or know well. With family and coworkers, some can be helpful, but others might be prejudiced against such a marriage. If you must talk to the media, say something like 'No comment'.

"Second, they will try to manipulate you to reveal things about Nyota; they will scour your job, home, neighbors, family, and even the academies she attended. This happened with Sarek and me; it was very stressful, and it hurt my feelings when I learned how some people viewed us. I was young then, but now I have a voice and I can use it."

Saana drew a concerned look; "You think I will run into the same thing; I mean, will it get bad as you say?"

"I hope not, I really do, but if anything awful happens, promise me to contact Sarek or me on Vulcan via the San Francisco Embassy; they will help you."

Saana's countenance was now marked by worry; she thought about the bullying Nyota had endured her whole life and how she might have to face it again.

"OK, I think I can handle it; I hope."

"Saana, our children will need us to be strong for them. Some people won't like that they are married. Trust me; I am here for you."

"Thank you for the warning, Amanda!"

"Now that I've told you that, I feel relieved. You will be hearing from me soon about the preparations for the wedding reception. A Vulcan aide will come to help you with the transportation and documents. Remember, Vulcans are blunt and to the point; it's their nature."

"I haven't met a Vulcan personally. I have seen them on the media. They look intimidating."

"Yes, they give that appearance, but I think they are the most interesting race of people. They have the same family values as Terrans but adhere to an extremely strict code on displaying emotions."

"There's not much on them in our libraries; I don't want to offend them."

"You won't. You'll get used to them, and they are very helpful."

Amanda took a long look at Saana and saw a strong, independent woman who would do anything to protect her child. She was already looking forward to the possibilities of having a friend from Earth and talking shop.

"Thank you again, Amanda, for the warning and sound advice!"

"Not a problem! Welcome to the family!"

"Do Vulcans have last names?"

"Yes, it's S'chn T'gai."

Saana tried to pronounce it and it came out choppy.

Amanda chuckled. "Well, that's close enough, but keep practicing it. I can send you some typical Vulcan phrases for tourists to get you started with the language."

"Thank you; that would be nice."

"Saana, I have to go, but it's been wonderful chatting with you."

"You too, Amanda! Good afternoon!"

"Good evening! See you soon!"

The com-link closed; Saana leaned back in her chair and reflected on the conversation they'd just had.

* * *

**Saana's POV**

Saana sighed deeply. She was grateful to have met Amanda Grayson, who had stood up against a lot bias during her courtship with the Ambassador. Saana remembered Amanda's whirlwind romance, which had played out for the world to see. Some thought they brainwashed her or put her into some form of trance to get her to marry the Ambassador. From what she remembered, Sarek seemed very protective of her. She remembered that Vulcans age more slowly than Terrans. From the cultural and physical aspects, some people thought the two races weren't compatible. At the time, it hadn't mattered to her. Saana and her husband were in college then. Saana wondered whether Spock and Nyota would face the same nosiness and bias that Amanda and Sarek had. She hoped not. ' _It wouldn't be fair. Nyota has been through so much!'_ Saana wondered who she could talk to about it. She decided to tell the Uhura side of the family. _'_ _They are more practical and reasonable. Kayode's family members are mostly educated professionals; they accepted me with open arms during our courtship. Telling them that their favorite great niece and cousin is married to a scientist will thrill them.'_ Saana smiled about that. Then she thought about her side of the family. _The Buharis are a different story. They are a little more old-fashioned and biased. They cling to some of the outdated traditions. They never liked the Uhuras because they were educated; they considered them uppity._ Her own family members were stiff-necked and rude about anything that was not related to the old-world traditions. They didn't accept Kayode at first, especially her Great Aunt Chandis, who was tough as they come. She would criticize Kayode for every little thing he did or didn't do, simply because he was educated. Saana wondered if this close-mindedness would affect Nyota's husband. _Could he deal with such a crazy family? Would he find the Uhuras and Buharis offensive? Maybe I should hold back from telling them—for now._

Saana took a deep breath, and wondered what the Vulcan family unit was like. Amanda said they were like Terrans and believed in families. "I don't think Vulcans are like my family! My family is nuts!" Saana said, laughing.

She went into her small kitchen and got some Earl Grey tea from the replicator. She sat down and sipped from her cup, wondering what the ceremony would be like. She had no idea what a Vulcan wedding was like. She had no idea, but she could have asked Amanda while they were speaking. Saana sighed, thinking about the missed opportunity. Then her com-link pinged. She retrieved the message, and it was from Amanda. She opened the message to see a list of phrases in a different language, with a note at the top:

-"Here are some simple greetings you can practice. They will help you when you come to Vulcan. Once again, it was nice meeting you.

—Your friend, S'chn T'gai Grayson Amanda"

Saana's face broke into a smile. She was eager to learn them and test them out before she left. She typed back: "Thank you, Amanda."

"Well, I'd better start learning now." She touched the first phrase, and the module's voice became active.

_"'_ _Dif-tor heh smusma_ _"_ [Live long and prosper] is a standard Vulcan greeting similar to 'Hello' for Terrans."

Saana practiced the phrase and the module graded her performance—that brought a smile to her face.

"I'm going to like Vulcan!"

* * *

**Amanda's POV**

Amanda sighed with relief. _Saana Uhura is a nice, interesting woman._ She did read her bio-life knowing she was married and currently a widow. She didn't want to bring that up. She hopes that Saana will become a friend, confidant to her. Amanda did miss having a female friend to trust. Most females that she had encountered desired Sarek and she had to use all her diplomatic skills to fight them off. Amanda was feeling optimistic that she, her husband, and the great T'Pau would be able to pull off both the ceremony and the reception—if everything fell into place. She called Sevel on the intercom, and a minute later he entered her office with his Padd.

"How can I be of service, T'Amanda?"

"I would like an emergency standby trip for Saana Uhura from Earth to Vulcan. Once the reception has been cleared by the Vulcan High Command, please proceed with her transportation."

"It would be necessary for the passenger to leave from the embassy, and I would have to have her documentation prepared to avoid complications."

"Yes, Sevel. That would be perfect. Your service honors us." Amanda tilted her head politely.

"I am here to serve; I will proceed with your request." Sevel bowed his head and left with the information in his Padd.

Amanda went to the kitchen to get some Plomeek tea from the replicator. As she thought about her son, Spock, a smile formed on her face. _He's finally getting a break in life._ Amanda sat at the table and continued to reflect on the progress of the reception plans and the results of the S'oleh-nau accusation. She couldn't believe that T'Pring's family had agreed to the compensation for the _Kal-i-farr_ _._ When Sarek had told her the news, she could hardly contain her reaction. Amanda had been awestruck by Sarek's account of T'Pau's wrangling of the Council. She had wanted to shout with joy—all because of T'Pau! _That woman is something else! T'Pau needs to continue in her position in the Vulcan High Command. She has a way of making people see things her way._

Now she and Sarek would review the invitation list for Spock's reception. First on the list was the S'oleh-nau clan. A sly, long over due satisfied smile appeared on Amanda's face.


	6. The Meeting of Great Minds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: T'Ara didn't want to tangle with T'Pau again; she made it clear that Vulcan would honor Spock's marriage and his achievements. She had finally agreed that Spock had enhanced Vulcans' reputation and influence in multiple ways. Each civilization thinks it is the best in the universe, T'Pau reminded the Commissioners.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Admiral Nimitz-is an imaginary character in my Star Trek World.

**Fleet** **Admiral Nimitz Admiral Komack**

**Starfleet Command**

T'Ara sent a visual message to Admiral Ian Fitzgerald at Starfleet Command. He was at his desk coordinating fleet movements with his aides when his comm unit beeped. Seeing that the message was from Vulcan, he wondered what the Vulcans wanted _this_ time.

"Greetings, Admiral Fitzgerald," T'Ara said. "On behalf of the Vulcan High Command and the Vulcan people, I salute you. Live long and prosper. We have a request of great importance concerning Commander Spock, who serves on the USS Enterprise. It is of the utmost importance that he and his bride return to Vulcan to complete the wedding ceremony, which is required by our tradition. This ceremony is an important part of our culture and must respected by Starfleet regardless of our differences. As well, on behalf of all of Vulcans, S'haile—Prince Spock will be recognized for his services to his people and the Federation as a whole. The Vulcan High Command will be satisfied with no less than Commander Spock's immediate return to Vulcan participate in these ceremonies. We thank you for your prompt attention to such an abrupt request. We will provide more information upon Commander Spock's return. Your service honors us."

T'Ara gave the salute and faded from the monitor.

Fitzgerald's eyebrows rose and his mouth fell open. He couldn't believe what Vulcan was requesting. He turned to his computer and searched for the Enterprise's current orders. He tapped in the secret code in order to access the file and read their mission. The ship was patrolling the Neutral Zone. "Damn!" :he thought, running his hands through his hair. "I can't pull a ship away from patrol for one guy to get married! What in the HELL is going on?"

Fitzgerald looked at his aide Simmons and snapped, "Contact Admirals Nagumo, Komack, Quinn, and Upton right away. I want them on a conference call within the hour."

Simmons began typing Fitzgerald's order into his Padd and trying to reach the admirals' aides.

Fitzgerald hated dealing with any diplomat, but Vulcans were the worst. _Commander Spock seldom takes leave, except for that strange one a couple of years ago. To this day, no one knows exactly what it was about. Except that he was supposed to get married then; isn't he already married?_ Fitzgerald tried to call up the file on the incident and found that it was sealed and inaccessible to him, which made him wonder if it was some form of secret mission. _Maybe for Starfleet Intelligence?_ "Simmons!"

"Yes, Admiral?"

"Get me Commodore Raja from Starfleet Intelligence as well."

"Yes, sir."

About an hour later, Fitzgerald was sitting at a conference table surrounded by eight large monitors, five of which showed images of his guests.

"Gentlemen, thank you for joining me at such short notice."

"Is there a serious situation, Ian?" Admiral James Komack asked.

"How can we help you?" Admiral Akito Nagumo asked.

"I received a message from Vulcan requesting that Commander Spock return to his home planet for some ceremonies," Ian explained.

"Isn't the Enterprise on a mission?" Admiral Trenton Upton asked.

"Yes, the Enterprise is patrolling the Neutral Zone. Several years ago, the Enterprise was pulled from a mission to Altair VI and rerouted to Vulcan," [1] Fitzgerald said.

"Yes, I gave the order for the Enterprise to travel to Vulcan at that time, and Kirk diverted his ship there, Komack said. They stated it was a medical emergency, but Kirk went to Vulcan against my orders." Komack had been fuming at the time, thinking Kirk was going against orders, at the time it was an important mission. He had been just about ready to kick both Kirk and Spock out of Starfleet.

"Do you think that incident is connected to this one?" Quinn asked.

"I don't know, but we have figure out what the Vulcans want and why they want me to pull a starship from its mission to go back to Vulcan," Fitzgerald said. He turned to Commodore Gotam Raja.

"Raja, I invited you to this meeting to give us the background to this situation. Do you have a clue what is going on Vulcan?"

"Admirals, remember that Vulcan is one of the founding members the United Federation of Planets, Commodore Raja said; his voice was soft, but each word was precisely enunciated. "I can only say that Vulcan has strong connections to the Federation. Ambassador Sarek has made alliances with many of its members and is highly respected. He was a key asset at the Babel conference and many other diplomatic missions. Not once has he has used his position for personal or political gain. Our knowledge of Vulcan in general is limited; the Vulcan people are almost considered a closed society. You know only what they want you to know. They are a highly intelligent people and are not to be second-guessed."

"The question is, admirals, do we want to pull the Enterprise off its mission?" Quinn asked, looking puzzled.

Upton looked at the other admirals and saw the mixed messages on their faces. "But we need a solid reason to make that decision; they say it's ceremonial! Is that a good reason to take a starship off patrol?"

"I don't know; it depends on how we look at it," Nagumo said. "Ian, can you play the original message?"

Fitzgerald punched a button on the com unit and played the recorded message; T'Ara appeared before them.

"Greetings, Admiral Fitzgerald," T'Ara said. "On behalf of the Vulcan High Command and the Vulcan people, I salute you. Live long and prosper. We have a request of great importance concerning Commander Spock, who serves on the USS Enterprise. It is of the utmost importance that he and his bride return to Vulcan to complete the wedding ceremony, which is required by our ceremony is an important part of our culture and must respected by Starfleet regardless of our differences. As well, on behalf of all of Vulcans, S'haile—Prince Spock will be recognized for his services to his people …"

"Did she say 'Prince'?" Komack asked.

"Did she mention a bride? She indicated that Spock's bride is on the Enterprise!" Quinn remarked. "There's nothing in Commander Spock's file about being some sort of royalty, is there?"

Fitzgerald asked the computer to bring up Spock's file and project it split screen in front of them. They saw that he was the son of Ambassador Sarek and Amanda Grayson. Fitzgerald quickly flipped through Spock's records and awards from Starfleet Academy, as well as those from his time in Starfleet, including commendations from his former commanders, his rise through the ranks, and his many achievements in science and exploration. But there was nothing on his immediate family background except his birth.

"I don't get it? We have everything the man has done since he left Vulcan, but nothing on his people's history!" Upton said.

"I know there is some connection to T'Pau," Komack added. "She's the one who orchestrated the Vulcan High Command's appeal to Starfleet for us to pardon the whole incident and record it as a leave of absence in Commander Spock's records."

"Gentlemen, if that's the case, there is a possibility that T'Pau is involved in this request as well. If so, gentlemen, I _**highly**_ recommend granting it." Raja stated.

Quinn looked at Raja and demanded: "Clarify that, Commodore!"

"We all know that T'Pau and her husband at the time were among the founders of the United Federation of Planets, even though she turned down a position on the Federation Council for herself. She still holds considerable influence among the peoples of the Federation. Raja chuckled: "It's like saying no to your mother. She doesn't have to say anything or pull rank to get the results she's looking for."

"That doesn't make any sense!" Upton exclaimed.

"Sure it does," Raja replied. "My sources say that T'Pau is about the last person in the galaxy you want to run afoul of; she is the most highly respected Vulcan on her planet. No one on Vulcan wants to tangle with her either."

"Should we pull the Enterprise off her mission to return to Vulcan?" Fitzgerald asked.

The admirals were quiet for a moment; they knew if they made the wrong decision, they would be risking early retirement.

Nagumo saw the lost looks on their faces: "I think the fleet admiral should have the final say; this concerns the Federation. A screw-up here could affect all sorts of policies and relationships. It is a serious decision to take a Constitution class starship from its mission for one person to go home. This would an easy decision if this were a crisis involving an attack or relations with another planet or even a natural disaster! But to take someone home? I believe we have more important situations to deal with. The Enterprise should continue its mission and offer the Vulcans other alternatives."

"I'm worried about the fallout if we DON'T send the Enterprise to Vulcan," Fitzgerald snapped, looking grim. He needed to make the final decision. _Maybe it would best to involve the Fleet admiral; the man can be so intimidating._ He punched the intercom for his aide.

"Simmons!"

"Yes, Admiral."

"Contact Admiral Nimitz right away! Tell him it's an emergency!"

"Yes, SIR!"

Quinn was looking through Spock's file and commented, "I note that Commander Spock has never taken any form of shore leave, just three stays on Vulcan of three days each over twenty years of service. How does the man do it?"

"The man is an enigma," Upton said. "He keeps to himself and does a DAMN good job! It's just strange that he is requested to return to Vulcan during a critical mission."

"Gentlemen, I remind you that taking a cruiser out of commission for any length of time is critical," Komack said. "I think we need more information from the Vulcans about why this is so important."

The com unit lit up, and Fitzgerald answered it.

"Simmons here, sir. I have Admiral Nimitz available now."

"Put him on, Simmons."

Fleet Admiral Nimitz appeared on a monitor next to the lower-ranking admirals. His face was taut. He was a man who had seen battle and conflict.

"Good afternoon, Admiral Nimitz."

Chester Nimitz saw all his admirals on his viewer, meaning something was up. He wondered if something had happened at the Neutral Zone. The Romulans had been a pain in his butt recently; they had a knack for making his life miserable.

"Gentlemen, how can I be of service?"

Fitzgerald cleared his throat. _This is not going to be easy; Nimitz is not a man to play with._

"I received a priority message from Vulcan; the Vulcan High Command is requesting that Commander Spock return to his planet for a wedding ceremony. The Enterprise is currently patrolling the outer edge of the Neutral Zone."

"And?"

"We need a decision on whether the Enterprise should be pulled from patrol, Sir." At that moment, Fitzgerald sent the recording to Nimitz. The fleet admiral reviewed the message and turned back to the men.

"Gentlemen, I don't see a problem," Nimitz said. "Have Commander Spock returned to Vulcan."

"With all due respect, Admiral, a personal event is not a valid reason to pull a vital resource such as the Enterprise from its mission," Nagumo stated flatly.

"Gentlemen, you are not looking at the long-range aspects of this; refusing the Vulcan High Command's request will cause intergalactic friction, which we don't need at this moment." Nimitz said sternly.

"I am not aware of any friction among the Federation," Upton said.

Nimitz took a deep breath, showing his disappointment of his senior officers. Public relations had a high priority in both Starfleet and the Federation, and it was important for the two organizations to support each other's missions.

"Gentlemen, you may have your opinions about Vulcan and how they do things there. But I'm telling you that the Vulcans have been our strongest ally in all the campaign we have been in. Correct me if I'm wrong, Commodore Raja, but isn't Vulcan the primary contributor to the Interplanetary Treasury?"

"You are correct, Admiral."

"Ever since the Intrepid Incident, [2] the Vulcans have contributed their technology to our military and science divisions in Starfleet," Nimitz said. "The Enterprise was the ship that found the cause of the destruction of the Intrepid, and Spock risked his life to determine how to destroy the creature. Do you know what he did? You have my permission to review his report on the amoeba creature that wiped out the Gamma 7A system. This thing was in the process of reproduction; it had already consumed dozens of solar systems. That man saved most or all of the Federation from destruction; he and the Enterprise saved billions of lives. His father, Ambassador Sarek, has been the prime peacemaker in the majority of interplanetary disputes for the past 50 years. Since the Intrepid incident, the Vulcans have been downright supportive of Starfleet. Their technology has vastly improved our security systems. They have had more open communications with the Federation of Planets and are the first to send aid to any planet in need. That incident somehow triggered the Vulcans to become more open-minded about Starfleet. Whatever their reasons, I want that open dialogue to continue—Raja, didn't you explain that to them?"

"Sir, I advised them to grant the Vulcans their request."

"Gentlemen, if Spock or Vulcan wants to set up a picnic on Jupiter, on an asteroid, or on Alpha Centauri, then GIVE IT TO THEM!" Nimitz shouted.

The five men sat quietly, melting in their chairs from Nimitz's blowback.

"This man of science, who never took a day off, is the first Vulcan in Starfleet to accomplish the things he has done. Always refusing promotion, no personal ambitions, no ego to bruise. If Vulcan wants him to go home, send him home. Damn it! The man needs it. Who did he marry?"

Fitzgerald wiped his brow; he didn't know: "I will find out, Admiral."

Chester shook his head in disappointment. "Listen, one of you is going to replace me one day; you need to take a wide view of the ever-expanding Federation. Many new Federation citizens will join the fleet as part of our outreach endeavors. Give anything and everything that the Vulcans request. Nimitz out."

The five other men watched Chester Nimitz fade from their monitors and exchanged worried looks.

Fitzgerald paged Simmons.

"Yes, sir?"

"Check the records; find out who Spock married."

"I will represent Starfleet in any discussions with Vulcan about this. I've dealt with them before in a situation like this with Commander Spock. I will need more information about this ceremony before I call the Enterprise to Vulcan. I will need to speak to T'Ara about what they need." Komack said somberly.

He realized that Nimitz had been making sense when talking about working with the Vulcans. They had become more agreeable about working with Starfleet. He also felt a little guilty about how Commander Spock had been treated during his Academy days. Komack had heard of some incidents that stemmed from prejudice; if Starfleet were to continue its expansion, that needed to be put to rest.

Upton, Nagumo, and Quinn sat silently, thinking about what Nimitz had said. They were military men, accustomed to exploration and the occasional conflicts that came with it. But they had not considered that the Federation of Planets was expanding and incorporating new planets and citizens from scores of species. New species were being found each day, requiring First Contact protocols designed to uphold the Prime Directive. Protecting these new planets and species would require an enormous amount of resources and cooperation from the founding members of the Federation.

Meanwhile, Nimitz sat in his chair, nursing a headache after listening to his senior admirals. He couldn't believe they had almost caused an intergalactic incident by offending the Vulcans. _Terrans have this idea that they should be running the Federation and Starfleet. But every planet, every culture MUST have a seat at the table. Commander Spock is a prime example of how the cooperation of Vulcan benefits the entire Federation._

* * *

Two days later, a message from Vulcan describing the reception planned for Commander Spock's return was sent to Admiral Fitzgerald:

"Greetings, Admiral Fitzgerald," T'Ara said.

"Vulcan is grateful for your consent to allow Commander Spock and his bride, who is also an officer, to return to his home planet for their marriage ceremony and wedding reception. Vulcan has established a pavilion on Altair VI as the site of the reception. This is an invitation-only event. Invitations will be extended to high-ranking personnel in Starfleet and the Federation. We will require notification of acceptance by stardate 2269.2. The reception will proceed on stardate 2269.8; the Enterprise should arrive at Vulcan on stardate 2269.2. Time on Vulcan is allotted to prepare for the event. Once again, all of Vulcan extend their gratitude for your decision to support our endeavor.

"Live long and prosper. T'Ara out."

A few moments later, Nimitz contacted Fitzgerald:

"Hello, Ian. How are you progressing on the Vulcan issue?"

"Well, Chester, Upton is in the process of diverting the Potemkin to replace the Enterprise on patrol," Fitzgerald said. "The Potemkin is almost done with its mission. Komack is trying to chase down a marriage license for Commander Spock. And Vulcan just announced that the wedding reception is about four weeks away and that the Enterprise has about three weeks to get Spock and his bride there."

"That's progress," Nimitz said. "I just received an invitation to attend the reception, and multiple members of the Federation have also been invited. With that in mind, we will have the Enterprise drop the couple off at Vulcan and then ferry delegates and dignitaries to the reception on Altair VI."

"Wow! It will be some reception!" Fitzgerald said. "Is the president invited?"

"Yes, he was the first," Nimitz said. "Do you now understand why this was permitted, Ian?"

"Yes, Chester," Fitzgerald responded. "I see it now."

"The Vulcan High Command has also requested that the Enterprise remain in orbit around Vulcan after the reception to have parts of the ship refitted."

"Excuse me, sir? Is it wise to keep the Enterprise out of commission so long?"

"I am aware of your concerns, Ian. This came from T'Pau herself, She says it's a wedding gift," Chester said, chuckling.

"Yes, sir," Fitzgerald replied, muffling a sigh.

Fitzgerald transferred the message and information to Admiral Komack, who was in the process of breaking radio silence to contact the Enterprise. _They're going to take their time coming back. It is just ridiculous to remove the Enterprise from duty!_ He told his aide to send the Enterprise a priority one message.

* * *

[3] **Meanwhile on the Enterprise:**

Uhura adjusted her earpiece to better hear the alarming message. She turned to the captain:

"Captain Kirk, I have a priority one message from Starfleet."

Kirk jumped from his chair and walked up the steps to Uhura's station.

"What does it say?"

"Your eyes only, Captain. Priority one, sir."

"Send it to the Ready Room."

"Yes, Sir."

Kirk leaves to the Ready Room, where he coms Uhura to transfer the message.

"OK, Lieutenant Uhura, pipe it in."

"Yes, Captain."

Admiral Komack's image appeared on the monitor.

"Captain Kirk."

"Admiral Komack."

Kirk was looking at an unhappy man. _Something is up. I hope it's not a secret mission, or worse, an undercover secret mission._ _[4]_ _The last one almost provoked my crew to mutiny!_

"We are aware that the Enterprise is on patrol, but we had to break transmission silence."

"It must be urgent then, sir."

"Starfleet Command requires some clarification and status report on a situation, Kirk."

Komack continued to look annoyed.

"Recently, Vulcan and the Federation have been giving us flack about one of your officers, well, actually two. Starfleet Command wants verification."

"Yes, Admiral, which officers and what do you want to know about them?"

"First, the Vulcan High Command claims that Commander Spock is married? Starfleet has no such record."

Kirk was shocked, but tried to keep his composure. He adjusted his tunic before answering the man.

"Yes, Admiral Komack. Commander Spock is married. The marriage has been registered with Starfleet."

Komack gave a sigh of relief and his face relaxed a bit.

"That explains some of the things that are happening here. Kirk, the Vulcans are requesting that Commander Spock and his spouse return to his home planet for some form of ceremony. At first, we were unaware that the Commander had married. Vulcan claims that he has. Starfleet Command is honoring their request. Kirk, your orders are to transport Commander Spock and his wife to Vulcan for a ceremony. Then the Enterprise is to report to Starfleet Command to ferry dignitaries to Altair VI for a reception. The Enterprise is now a representative of the United Federation of Planets and Starfleet, and it will be at the disposal of Vulcan until after the ceremony is completed."

Kirk couldn't believe what he was hearing. _The Enterprise is being pulled from patrol._

"Excuse me, Admiral. Could another transport ship rendezvous with the Enterprise and take Commander Spock to Vulcan?"

"Negative, this supersedes your current mission, Kirk. Since the Intrepid incident, Vulcan has become more open in their relationship with and in regard to sharing their technology with Starfleet. An improved relationship has been established, and we at Starfleet would like to continue it."

Kirk stood there, processing the information. He suddenly realized that there might be more to this request.

"Admiral Komack, Mr. Spock has been in Starfleet for over twenty years. Won't he find it strange to be dismissed from duty?"

"Kirk, Vulcan practically demanded that Starfleet bring Mr. Spock back to his home planet. Apparently, your science officer is some sort of royalty. His father, Ambassador Sarek, is considered a lord or something, I think Sa-halia or hail? As it was presented to us, Mr. Spock is a prince, and the Vulcans want to celebrate his marriage."

"A PRINCE!? SPOCK!"

Kirk's eyebrows did their best impression of Spock's as he realized there was more to his Vulcan friend then he knew.

"His family has strong connections to the Federation, especially to the president. The ceremony will take some time to arrange, so the Enterprise will have three weeks to arrive at Vulcan. Kirk, I want this to go smoothly. Make sure Commander Spock and his wife arrive safely."

Kirk let out a deep sigh, but was not entirely displeased that the ship was being pulled from the Neutral Zone.

"Yes, sir. I'll get him there."

"By the way, who did Commander Spock marry?"

"Our communications officer, Lieutenant Uhura."

It was Komack's turn for his brows to rise in surprise.

"Really? Lieutenant Uhura—our code breaker for the Klingon and Romulan languages?"

"Yes, sir. She's the one."

Komack knew of Uhura's record and her beauty. Many men were found her attractive, and now she had left broken hearts everywhere. Komack was surprised by the match.

"I've heard of her and her exemplary work for Central Intelligence," he said. "You have your orders, Kirk; see you in three weeks. Komack out."

Komack was amazed that Commander Spock had married the code breaker Uhura. He sent coded messages to the other admirals to let them know that the Enterprise had been contacted and was en route to Vulcan.

 _This is going to be an interesting reception,_ Komack thought. He was proud to have a man like Commander Spock in the service, despite the last encounter with Kirk diverted against his orders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Star trek TOS:
> 
> [1]"Amok Time"
> 
> [2]"The Immunity Syndrome"
> 
> [4]"The Enterprise Incident"
> 
> [3]Note: direct dialogue in this story is from "The Battle for Spock," part 2, chapter 34.


	7. Back in the Saddle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta Reader:Jsilver2000
> 
> Summary: Now we are up to date: (based on the last chapter) Spock and Uhura are on a slow (3-week) journey to Vulcan. But things are happening during those 3 weeks. But things are happening during those 3 weeks. The 3 weeks are broken down into different scenes that will entwine to later chapters. Now we have two happy mothers, Amanda and Saana, expressing their excitement about their children's marriage. All of Vulcan is aware that S'haile Sarek and Spock are descendants of the great Surak and will finally be recognized for their service to Vulcan and the Federation, and Spock's bonding to Nyota will be celebrated as well. T'Pau has gotten satisfaction from the S'oleh-nau clan for T'Pring's behavior during the Kal-i-fee incident. Saana is in a peaceful place right now, unaware of what is to come.

****

**Dr. Saana Uhura Reuben Achebe**

**First Week: Part 1—Back in the Saddle**

The day after her lengthy talk with Amanda Grayson, Saana busied herself around her house. She did her chores, humming happily as she went. She downloaded the three holo-vids of Nyota and Spock, placed them in seamless frames, and hung them up around her condo. She downloaded them again to her PADD so she could take them to work on Monday. A big smile formed on her face at the thought of seeing her daughter married and happy. She had high hopes for a successful marriage.

Saana thought about her marriage to Kayode, the way they fell in love as teenagers about to go to college. Then Starfleet offered an opportunity for people to utilize their skills, and Kayode took it. They were prosperous for a while; they had a beautiful wedding that both families attended. The sad part was that her side of the family had never liked the Uhuras. The Buharis considered the Uhuras to be upper class and were arrogant. Saana generally respected her family, but not when it came to Kay; he was her whole world. Saana and Kayode became a successful couple and proud parents. Every now and then her side of the family would shun them by not inviting them to family gatherings. But that made no impact on the love between the three of them; they created their own party. Saana's brother Zurberi was the only one who refused to be part of the family's hatred and openly embraced Kayode. Kay would hold her and declare that Saana was his one and only and that they were the perfect family. A tear formed and slid down Saana's face as her memories flashed by.

"There's no one like him. He treated me like a queen—his one and only."

Kay had often told her to be strong in bad situations; his death had been the very worst situation. _"Kayode, I miss you so much."_ His side of the family, the Uhuras, had encouraged Saana to move on with her life. They thanked her for loving their son and blessing them with an intelligent granddaughter. Although they had given their blessing to move on, Saana respected and honored the Uhuras; she still felt a strong tie to them. _"They have insight,"_ she thought, taking a deep breath and dusting a portrait of Kayode.

After Saana completed her chores, she took a shower and got dressed to go into town for some shopping. She was in such a good mood, she decided to treat herself to some shopping. _"I_ _deserve a new dress and shoes; as a matter of fact, I think I'll treat myself to lunch too!,"_ she said to herself. Her daughter's news had brought this new mood on, and she wanted to celebrate. She stepped out of her house into the bright sunshine; she put on her shades and hat and took a stroll into Grahamstown. A rare cool breeze passed over her, like a whisper, giving Saana peace. She didn't know where it came from, but it touched her heart and soul.

As she was walking, she was greeted by her neighbors, and she waved back at them with a smile on her face. When she reached town, more people greeted her, but one man her age was particularly glad to see her. Reuben was a handsome man with salt-and-pepper hair, chocolate mocha skin, and a winning smile. He came out of the barbershop to intercept her:

"Good afternoon, Saana! How are you on this fine day?"

"Well, Reuben! How are you?"

"I'm doing well now—now that I've spotted you," Reuben said, giving her his most winning

smile.

Saana didn't know how to take Reuben. She had known him for years. He had often tried to ask her out, but Saana had never been interested. But today, being in such a good mood, she wanted to share her joy with someone. Saana gave Reuben a warm smile after his statement.

"You say that to everybody; you have a business to run."

"How is your daughter, the one in Starfleet?"

"I'm so happy for Nyota! She has just gotten married to one of the officers on her ship!"

"Wow! Congratulations—this is cause for a celebration! Please, let me treat you to lunch!"

Saana thought about it for a moment. "What harm could come of it? Reuben is a nice, handsome man, and I'm feeling kind of attractive today. Maybe someone to share my happiness wouldn't be a bad idea.

"Okay, Reuben! I would like that—but only if we share the bill."

Reuben's eyes lit up; he had never expected Saana to say yes. He'd been asking her out for years. His mouth became dry, and he was slow to respond. He'd been dreaming about Saana since the day she moved into the neighborhood.

"I can close my shop now, and we can go!"

"It won't be a long lunch, Reuben. I have some shopping to do."

"Sure, wait here or come in while I clean up and close the shop!"

Reuben led Saana into his shop, Reuben was one of those people who liked the old-fashioned ways. His shop was very clean, with advanced equipment for face shaving, but he still used the time-honored tools of his trade to cut hair by hand. He enjoyed interacting with his clients while trimming and shaping their hair, and they appreciated his human touch. Reuben quickly picked up a few towels. He took off his apron and folded it before placing it on a shelf. Then he slipped

into the bathroom to check his face and hair and to wash his hands. Reuben was about the same age as Saana—in his mid-50s—which was still considered young in the twenty-third century. But Reuben had a deep crush on Saana. In his opinion, this lunch date was a blessing in disguise. He dried his hands and went to take his dream date out to lunch. They smiled at each other.

"I'm ready, Saana. Any place special you want to go?"

"Just the deli down the block. It's just a friendly lunch, Reuben."

As they started walking, they continued to talk:

"I know. I just didn't think you would say yes."

"Why not? Aren't you my friend? I've known you for years."

As they were walking, Reuben put his hands in his pocket, like a teenager trying to talk to a girl for the first time. He hoped he wasn't striking out.

"Sure! We're friends, and we look out for each other."

They walked into the deli and sat in a booth. Menus appeared the moment they sat down. They both ordered a sandwich and drink; exactly one minute later, their lunches came out of the replicator. Reuben tried to insert his credit, but Saana stopped him.

"I will not have any of that, Reuben; you promised!"

"Yeah, but this a celebration of your daughter's marriage. Please let me do this."

Saana looked at him quizzically and conceded.

"Okay, but only if you promise that I can treat you next time."

"DEAL!"

They sat there, enjoying their lunch and talking about small things: Reuben's business and the goings-on in the lives of his kids—three full-grown adults who worked off-planet. Reuben is a grandfather; he had lost his wife years back. The barbershop kept him busy, but when he had noticed Saana Uhura a few years back, he had instantly become attracted to her. Now he hoped the friendship would grow into a relationship. Reuben felt like the bear in the honey pot; he was thrilled that the woman of his dreams was having lunch with him. He desired to move this friendship a little further along.

"Saana, um—are—are you seeing anyone—like dating?"

Saana froze with her sandwich in mid-air when she heard his question. She looked at Reuben quizzically and wondered where this was leading.

"I haven't dated anyone or even thought about it since Kayode's death."

She was content with her current life. Nyota, her only concern—and the only legacy of her beloved Kayode—was now married.

They continued eating and making small talk about current events. Saana was hoping that Reuben wouldn't mention dating again. But before they left, he reached across the table and took hold of one of her hands, holding it gently.

"Saana, I've been admiring you for some time, and I hope we can continue our friendship. But if you don't mind, I'd like to call on you from time to time."

Saana felt the warmth of his hands and sincerity and gentleness of his voice. She hadn't thought much about her loneliness—until now. She gave Reuben a warm smile. Saana knew she wasn't ready; no one could ever replace the true love of her life.

"I don't know, Reuben."

"Just say you will think about it. I think you are a wonderful and beautiful woman. Our children have moved on, and we are free to have a meaningful relationship."

_"He is right about that,"_ she thought.

"Let me think about it. This is new to me, and I don't want to hurt your feelings."

"If nothing else, can we at least continue being friends and maybe have more lunches together?" Reuben asked.

"That would be nice; we could start there." Saana said, giving him a warm smile.

"I'd better go and finish my shopping," Saana said, getting up and putting her sunglasses and hat back on.

"I want to thank you for our lunch," she said. "And remember—I'm paying next time."

"Saana, the pleasure was all mine. Thank you for accepting."

Reuben took one of her hands, held it to his lips, and kissed her knuckles. He looked into her eyes and gave her another of his winning smiles.

"Until then, Saana."

Saana felt flushed. She walked around the corner to continue with her shopping. As she entered the dress store, she thought _"Maybe it's time I DO live a little."_

* * *

On Monday, Saana returned to the South African University of Rhodes, where she had worked for the past twenty-five years. She was a leading authority in the field of anthropology and was currently doing research on one of the lost tribes of Igbo. Saana would take her graduate students as assistants on some of her research trips so they could gain experience and write their theses on their findings. Saana was not some dainty woman who needed to be pampered; she was ready and willing to get dirty, climb into caves, and fall into the occasional mud hole. She could pull her own weight. Her classes were always full of eager students wanting to learn how to excavate sites and preserve artifacts.

On this day, Saana wore a sleeveless yellow sheath dress that contrasted with her mocha skin. Her coworkers noticed that she seemed to have a new outlook on life. She greeted her peers and students as she strolled down the hall with a bag full of PADDs to work on. One of her colleagues, Dr. Nelson Banks, a younger man with a growing family, greeted her:

"Good morning, Saana! How was your weekend?"

"Actually it was really nice. I had lunch out and did a little shopping."

Banks was stopped in his tracks by her response: "Whoa, that's different for you! What brought that on?"

"My daughter, Nyota, got married a couple of weeks ago."

"Well, congratulations are in order! That is a good reason to celebrate! Did you do any work over the weekend?"

"Oh yeah. I finished those reports and started working on another research project."

"Oh, Saana, you are so committed! I don't know how you do it," Nelson said, chuckling at her.

"I've always liked my job. How are your wife and kids, Nelson?"

"My two boys are going up so fast—they make me feel old!"

They both laughed.

As Saana and Nelson walked down the hall, he asked, "Do you have class today?"

"Yes, I have two classes to teach today; and you?"

"Yes, I have a couple as well. Look at the time—I'm running late! I'll see you later, Saana."

"You too, Nelson, . Have a good day!"

That was the most Saana had shared with anybody at her job. She always had kept to herself, but Nyota's marriage had sparked new life in her and the start of new beginnings. Saana went to her office, sat down at her desk, set up her PADDs, and leaned back in her chair. She was happier than she'd been in quite a while as she looked forward to the day she would meet her new extended family. Saana pulled out a vid-photo of Nyota and Spock, placed it on her desk like a trophy, and stared at it with a smile. Then Saana glanced at the image of her husband and traced a finger around the frame:

"You would be proud, Kayode! Your baby is married now. Can you believe she's married to a Vulcan? That's a whole new species. I wish I could have been part of the wedding and given her away for you. Plans are coming together for me to meet him and his family. Our baby is safe now; I hope I did a good job, Kayode."

A tear ran down her cheek as Saana sniffled.

Her week was smooth sailing. Her job was sometimes tedious, but she generally enjoyed the work and found it rewarding. By Wednesday, Saana was tired but content. She was sitting at her desk at work, finishing up one of the projects on her PADD, when she received a com-link from Reuben. She clicked to receive him.

"Hello, Reuben. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Saana. I'm just checking with you to see how your work is going."

"I'm in the process of calling it a day; I'm going home to find something to eat."

"If you're not too tired, I would like to take you to a small bistro where they cook Italian food."

Saana thought about it for a moment, wondering whether to take the next step with Reuben.

_"Maybe I should give dating a try. Just once."_

"Okay. I think I would like that."

"Remember, I'm treating because I asked you first!" Reuben said, chuckling.

"What time?"

"How about 7 p.m.?"

"What's the name of the place, so I can meet you there in case I'm late."

Saana was not ready for him to show up at her door; they were just friends. Even though she'd known him for some time, dating was something she hadn't done since her teenage years.

"It's called Grazie Restaurant; it's on Bamboo Street in town."

"Sounds good. Now let me go, so I can be there on time. Thank you for inviting me."

Reuben smiled widely, showing his handsome face.

"Thank you for accepting; see you soon, Saana."

Saana packed up her things and left her office to go home to bathe and change. Getting ready to go out was new to getting back into the dating game. She quickly styled her hair. She didn't mind the silver streaks that shined in her hair. She had a youthful face and a full hourglass figure that a less modest woman might have shown off with clothes that hugged her body. Saana chose a loose-fitting turquoise jumpsuit and accented it with a silver charm bracelet. When she was ready, she took the shuttle to downtown Grahamstown. The restaurant was just a short walk away. When she arrived, Reuben was waiting outside for her. When he saw Saana approach, his mouth watered and his eyes widened. _"She is so beautiful."_

"Reuben, why are you staring at me?"

"Saana if you don't know—have you looked in the mirror lately?"

Saana gave a quizzical look, thinking something was wrong with her appearance. "Is—is there something on my face?" she asked, raising a hand to her cheek.

Reuben flashed her a huge smile: "Saana, I don't know how long it's been since someone told you, but you are a very beautiful woman."

Saana's cheeks flushed and she giggled. "Reuben, you are not serious!"

"I'm afraid so. Let's go eat; they are waiting to seat us."

He escorted Saana into the restaurant. It was a small, quaint restaurant with an old Italian theme. Artificial salami and cheese, along with grapevines, hung from the walls and ceiling. Wine racks were placed throughout the room. A musician strolled through the place playing a violin. And the restaurant used actual people as waiters and cooks. Inhaling a heavenly aroma, Saana could tell that real ingredients, instead of synthesizers, were used to make the food. But best of all, the atmosphere was warm and receiving; it gave off a romantic vibe, as Reuben had planned.

"This is a nice place, Reuben! It has a warm feeling to it."

"I used to come here when I had time. I've spent my spare time visiting my children the past couple of years."

"Wow! It's nice that you have the time to visit your children."

Saana felt a little sad, thinking of how she couldn't just visit Nyota whenever she had the urge. Her daughter was usually in deep space, who knew where.

"Nyota visits me here about every three years or so. I really miss her."

"Of course you do; every parent does, no matter how old their kids get to be."

Saana looked up into Reuben's eyes and acknowledged his comment. He understood how she felt about her daughter.

"I totally agree with you."

"Maybe one day, if Nyota returns to Earth, and my children come to visit, we could have a cookout or something."

"That sounds really nice."

Saana wondered if she was reading more into it than was there. When you start meeting family members. you're announcing some form of relationship. _Am I ready for that now? Is this too_ _soon?"_

The waiter came with their food, and they dug in, finding it delicious. They sipped wine, talking about their personal lives and events around the world and the universe. Saana saw a nice businessman before her and welcomed the friendship. _"Reuben's not like those hard corporate_ _types who would do anything for a profit. He's a kind and sensible man."_

After dessert and coffee, they walked to a nearby park and strolled around, enjoying the warm evening. Reuben was emboldened and reached for her hand to hold; Saana didn't resist. His hand felt warm; it was a strange sensation for Saana after all these years—the touch of another man's hand on her skin. It was new to her, and she briefly wondered if she had betrayed Kayode. She let him hold her hand for a few more minutes and then gently released his. Saana turned to Reuben:

"I want to thank you for dinner and a lovely conversation. But this is all new to me; it's always been Kayode since I was a teenager."

"I understand," Reuben said. "I know you and your husband shared a life together, and I respect you for that. If you wish, I will take it very slowly—just—I would like to continue to see you as friends, until you want to—make it more."

Saana looked into his eyes and saw the warmth in them, but she needed to be honest: "Thank you, Reuben. I think it's best that we take it slow."

* * *

During the following week, she received a message and the gift of a tropical plant from Reuben, who thanked her for a nice lunch and dinner and expressed the hope of seeing her again the coming weekend. After closing the com-link, Saana smiled and began to wonder if anything could come of their budding relationship. She chuckled at the plant and thought, _"He IS trying_ _really hard, isn't he?"_


	8. On the Good Ship Enterprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta Reader:Jsilver2000
> 
> Summary: Saana has just started to live life again, meeting and having lunch with an acquaintance in town. She's been living in the shadows too long; since her daughter's marriage, Saana has stepped into the light. Now we turn to other scenes on the Enterprise.

**** ****

**Back to Vulcan-Week 1: part 2-The Good Ship Enterprise**

Meanwhile on the Enterprise:

The Enterprise continued her slow journey to Vulcan. The crew is ecstatic about the news that Commander Spock and Lieutenant Uhura had married. But Spock and Uhura are continued to perform their duties as they did before they were married.

"Docking procedures completed for the cargo ship Zama, Sir";Nyota said, taking her earpiece out to relay the message.

"Have the landing bay crew start their process of unloading Lieutenant. Notify me when it is are completed." Kirk ordered from his swivel chair.

"Yes sir," she said, placing the earpiece back in her ear and giving instructions to the crew.

" Mr. Sulu, maintain distance and hold her steady"

"Aye, sir."

Spock stepped down to the command chair and handed the captain the cargo supply list for him to sign.

"Thanks Spock, anything important about the supplies we should know?" Kirk asked, reviewing the list and signing off.

"No Captain. It's just the standard food supplies, repair equipment, and personnel supplies."

"Please continue, Mr. Spock," Kirk said giving him back the signed PADD.

"Captain, Dr. McCoy has requested that you see him when you are available."

"Why didn't he page me?"

"Unknown Captain-Dr. McCoy's request was about a private matter."

Kirk looked up at Spock with a smirk: "Thanks, Mr. Spock. Carry on."

After the shipment has been cleared, Spock headed to the lower decks like a man on a mission. He displayed his famous stoic look as he walked. He entered the quartermaster's room and :he chief officer greeted him.

"Good afternoon Commander Spock, how can I help you?"

"Several packages were sent here for clearance and I am here to retrieve them."

"Yes, I just cleared them sir, I get them for you."

All personal packages required clearance from security and the quartermaster for safety. Spock was the one who made sure they were checked during docking with the Zama. He had waited for the delivery. Another gift for his beloved. The chief returned with packages and gave them to Spock.

"There you go, Sir, good day."

"Thank you, Chief. Carry on."

Spock wasn't versed in small talk or sediment that would lead to more conversation. He avoided at all costs. He enjoyed only certain conversations that have meaning for him. Humans entertain themselves in these brief conversations. Spock took three large boxes to his quarters.

* * *

A little while later, Kirk wandered down to sickbay to meet McCoy in his office.

"I heard you wanted to see me 'Bones."

"I did. I'm glad your here, but you're not going like what I'm going to tell you."

Kirk be gave him a serious face, McCoy got up and secured the door. He turned and folded his arms across his chest, giving Jim a stern look.

"Listen, Christine is not taking Spock and Uhura's marriage well. She's edgy-nervous one minute and then snapping, snarling, and yelling the next. The other nurses are complaining about her behavior, and they all trying to switch their schedule to avoid her. And I'm telling you again: Christine is a damn good head nurse."

"What do you want me to do? I mean- do you want to reprimand her to get over it?"

"Jim this is serious! She's not eating and she is definitely showing signs of depression. I don't want to pull her from her duties; she says staying in her quarters makes it worse."

"Bones, how can I help you? I'm not a medical doctor?"

McCoy took a deep breath. He didn't want to do it, but he didn't have a choice: "I'm notifying you that I am ordering her to receive psychiatric treatment for her depression until further notice, after the evaluation then we will determine if Christine needs more treatment to a facility to help her."

McCoy had to do it, he was taking a risk, knowing how Christine going to react. He didn't want to hurt her more than she already had been. She was the only nurse who put up with his grumpiness and more importantly, the only one who could put him in his place. _"If she continue_ _s_ _to medical school, she'll make a great doctor. But right now her mental and physical health was_ _my_ _primary concern_ _s_ _. If only Christine could let her feelings for Spock go."_

"Okay, Bones. Write the report and send it to me. Who do you recommend for a psychiatrist?"

"I'll give her to Dr. Robinson; she's good. I will inform Christine in person. I don't want this in her files."

"What will you put instead?"

McCoy gave Jim a quizzical look, and then a slow smile: "Don't you worry-I'll take care of that so she doesn't feel like a patient."

"Thanks Bones, I think she'll appreciate that. Like I said, I don't want to lose good personnel. Is there anything else?"

"That about covers it. I'll give you an update if anything changes."

Jim flashed Bones a conspiratorial smile; "You know we have dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Spock sometime next week?"

"I know. It should quite interesting how those two get along." McCoy scratched his head; "It's amazing; I swear Spock is smiling lately."

They both laughed, that breaks the tension over Chapel. Bones give Jim a quizzical look.

"What else Bones? You giving me that look!" Kirk folds his arms across his chest, waiting for his friend to reply.

"First of all-DAMN IT! How did Spock get Christine all messed up in the first place. He's just a Vulcan!"

"Bones you are blind? He's a man first-then green-blooded. Women find him as attractive as any other man. Maybe they curious how he-operates in the bedroom."

McCoy turns away from him, picked up a file disk, and huffs: " SPOCK? If you say so-Jim. Never seen a case this bad of a broken heart."

Kirk placed his hand on Bones' shoulder, and looked him in the eye. "Yes, you have. I've seen worse my friend and - so have YOU!"

With that Kirk left.

Leonard McCoy has his reasons for looking out for Nurse Chapel, he planned on helping her the best he could, with the authority he could use. He had tried to warn her multiple of times of her affection towards Spock, and it fell on deaf ears. Now the woman was paying for it. Yeah, he knows the stabbing pain of a broken heart, he'd been there and was still suffering from the after math. During his bitter divorce, he had tried to drink himself to death. But it was his precious daughter Joanna brought him back from the brink of that dark abyss. After that, Joanna-and Starfleet-were all he had left.

* * *

Meanwhile, a couple was taking leisurely stroll through the corridors of the ship, wearing their casual clothes. Nyota wore a form fitting purple top with matching plazzo pants that flowed as she walked. While Spock wore a grayish thigh-length tunic and loose pants. Not too many people have seen Spock out of uniform before, so the couple caught the attention of the crewmen as they passed. Spock walked with his hands clasped behind his back, basking in Nyota's presence. This was new to Spock. He head was turned slightly towards his wife, who was pleased to have a moment together. Nyota had told him that she wanted the crew to see them together so they would understand that they were compatible. When some of the crew addressed him as "Prince Spock," he sighed and attempted to correct them. Spock did not find it humorous and was not sure of the sentiment behind it. Nyota smiled and explained that they were just showing respect and said that it would grow on him. Spock did not voice his doubts on that subject.

Spock watched as Nyota greet fellow crewmen, he would incline his head in acknowledgment and endure their greetings. The couple ended up at the recreation room, where they became engaged. The room was dim-lit, and a few people walking around chatting. Spock and Nyota went to the observation portal and looked out into space as the stars passed by them. Spock could hear the low humming of the engines below them and calculate how fast they were going. But at this moment, with his bondmate beside him, his thoughts were focused only on her.

Nyota was deeply touched, this was the place where her life had changed forever. This was the man who had her heart and soul in his hands. She expressed her thoughts and emotions through their bond-it felt as if a ball of warmth, safety, and contentment had engulfed the two of them. Spock was touched by her sentiment, her feelings about this place of commitment. He knew this place would always have significance for them. They watched the stars pass by during their shared moment. He held up his two fingers an invititation; Nyota glanced up with a tear in her eye and placed her fingers against his order to perform the _ozh'esta_. The love passed through their marital bond like a calm river flow. Spock struggled to breathe; he had never felt such- such love. He continued marvel over this relationship with Nyota as she smiled at his revelation.

After a while, the loving couple returned to their quarters to rest before their next shift. Spock turned toward Nyota, who gazed at her husband expectantly.

"The Captain has requested again for us to dine with him and the rest of our wedding party."

"I think that's a good idea. Did he say when?"

"I presume within the next couple of days; I will inform him of your response."

"Do you want to go?"

"Nyota, Captain Kirk, and Dr. McCoy's intentions are to imply how I conduct myself in our marriage."

"What do you mean?"

Spock cleared his throat: "They would like clarity on our sexual relations."

Nyota laughed and thought about those two really like to tease her man; she remembers events on the bridge where Spock was the prime target to Kirk and McCoy's never ending to get an emotional rise out of him. She suspected that there is some form of jealousy: _'I'll fix those two.'_

"Spock don't worry. If they inquire about our personal life or our sex life, I will be ready to answer."

Spock didn't know how to respond to that. He wondered what could she say to halt his friends' inquiry.

Nyota reached up and caressed his pointed ears, and a low growl emanated from him. He lifts her up and pulled her against himself, pressing their bodies together firmly. Spock buried his head in the crevasse of her neck and spoke as if in pain,;

"Nyota du katau si' wuh yon svi' nash-veh." ["Nyota you bring out the fire in me"].

Nyota was experiencing the same feeling as she lifted her head to give him better access to her neck while raking her hands through his dark hair. She thought about all those years wishing, hoping to be with him.

"nash-veh nuh'" ["Me too!"]

"Dungau etek fator tor wuh mashulayek?" ["Shall we proceed to the showers?"]

Nyota laughed, then start to pepper his face with kisses;

"Rai, tor ashaya tor nash-veh" ["no, make love to me"]

"U' du istaya" ["As you wish"]

He carried her to their bedroom where they proceeded with their loving making. Spock's touch drove Nyota into a frenzy. _There is nothing like making love with a Vulcan._

* * *

A couple of days later, after duty, Spock and Nyota were in the recreation room, where he was teaching her to master three-dimensional chess. She understood the foundations, but he was helping to raise the game to another level. Spock didn't mind this type of leisure. Nyota had explained that people would feel more comfortable seeing them together in this setting and would be less intrusive. He did sense the crew was becoming more comfortable with his presence than before.

A young couple approaches them at their table.

"Good evening Ms. Uhura and Mr. Spock- I mean your highness"

Spock and Nyota looked up to see Yeoman Tina Lawton and Ensign Matt Henry holding hands.

"Greetings," Spock said. "Please refrain from addressing me as 'your highness'."

"But everyone says you're a prince Commander."

Nyota smiled; "It's OK; he's getting used to it."

Spock found conversing with crew members for any length of time to be wearying; in his past visits to the rec room, he had usually been in the company of Kirk and/or McCoy, both of whom willingly picked up the conversational slack for him.

"How is everything?" Nyota asked the couple.

[1]The petite young blonde smiled widely:

"Everything is fine; as a matter of fact, things are great!" Tina looked at Matt, who was also beaming, and then turned to Nyota: "I want to thank you for introducing me to Matt-he's wonderful!"

The young man blushed: "Naw, I owe it all to Ms. Uhura and our movie night! That was the best thing that ever happened to me. Ms. Uhura, you made me popular!"[1]

Uhura laughed and remembering that event at which Boma had made a fool of himself. In Spock's opinion, it had been no laughing matter; it was when he had almost lost control of himself due to Boma's actions.

"Oh no, Matt- that was all you! All I did was introduce you to Tina, and then you two did the rest."

"You two make a wonderful-looking couple," :Tina said.

"They sure do, and we owe them a lot!" Matt added. "We'll be going now Mr. and Mrs. Spock, we both going to see another Indiana Jones movie–-alone." :Matt said, giving Tina a winning smile. Tina blushed and squeezed his hand.

Nyota laughed and Spock arched an eyebrow.

"Have a good time, you two."Nyota said, waving goodbye.

After the couple had left, Nyota turned to her husband and said; "Isn't that cute?"

"I have no reference point to respond to the word 'cute', Nyota."

"They said Mr. and Mrs. Spock."

Nyota stared at her man, thinking, _he is so funny._ _S_ he extended her two fingers and spoke in Vulcansu so others wouldn't hear them; "Ashayam, the word refers to moments of adorable sweetness like this. And you're so cute when you talk like that."

She giggled as their fingers touched and shared the warmth. Spock can only project back his of acceptance.

* * *

Later on that evening, Nyota took the opportunity to study the history of Vulcan. She had taken courses in her academy days, but she was studying a direct source from the Historical Library of Vulcan that was mostly written in old Vulcansu. Nyota skimmed the outline of cultural history and the political system, but her main purpose was to find the ancestral wedding riturals as they were before Surak's time. It was quite interesting to see Vulcan's violent history during the era when the people allowed their emotions to rule them. Nyota could almost compare the Vulcans of antiquity to contemporary Romulans. During one of their missions, she encountered her first Romulan and realized how similar they were to Vulcans. [2] Spock had stated that the Romulan race is a distant relative of the Vulcan race and that Romulans are highly aggressive. Nyota wanted to know everything about Vulcan in case she ever happened to meet her new archenemy, T'Pring, who had formerly been betrothed to Spock. Vulcans are known for their extensive knowledge of any subject that interested them, so she needed to prepare too. A smile formed on her face as she thought about the upcoming events. In about two weeks, she would be on Vulcan, and she hoped to cross paths with T'Pring.

On top of studying, Nyota and Spock had stepped up their Sus-Manah training to a daily routine, which was strengthening her already-muscular body. Spock was even teaching her to use the 'to'tsu'k'hy' [nerve pinch], but he had to modify the grip for Nyota, because she didn't have Vulcan strength. However, the modified version would still give her an advantage. He noticed her determination to master the new skill and was proud of how Nyota rose to the challenge of the rigorous lessons. He tried to limit the numbers of bruises on her body, but she would not have his gentleness and demand full contact.

"Spock, how can I defend myself or others if I don't know how it feels when I am hit? I still have to fight the enemy in any condition."

Spock overrode his instinct of being a protective husband and let his wife endure the painful blows of hand-to-hand combat. He understood that exploration invites unwarranted confrontations. He realized that he and his wife could be formidable team, using their bond and their training to apply coordinated tactics in combat situations.

* * *

A couple of days later; McCoy made preparations for clinical support for Christine. She had continued to act depression on duty. Once McCoy had spoken with Dr. LaToya Robinson, he would address Christine on the subject. Timing is everything. After his shift, McCoy grabbed his PADD and medical tricorder wand and headed to Nurse Chapel's quarters. He rung her chimer, and waited for her to answer; it seemed as if it two minutes before she opened the door. She has lost weight, her face looked haggard from lack of sleep. _'This has gone on too long',_ McCoy thought.

Christine looked surprised to see him: "Dr. McCoy! How can I help you?"

"I need to talk to you Christine. It's both professional and personal. May I come in?"

She sighed deeply. She knew what it was about. She hadn't tried to hide; she tried to fight it. But she was not doing well; the conversation about Spock and Nyota was daily gauntlet in sickbay and in the mess hall, it was everywhere she went. The couple was everyone's favorite topic.

"Sure come in."

She stepped aside to let the doctor in, and he walked into a dimly lit room. It was clear that Christine had lost her light in herself and her job. McCoy wantdc to help her. Christine directed him to a seat, and they both sat.

"Thank you for taking the time to talk to me Christine, what I'm about to say is not easy for me."

He looked into her once-sparkling blue eyes, which now sad and tired. Christine sat up, looking worried, her hands pressed down on top of her thighs.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No, but I am forced to place you on medical leave."

The tears started dripping down her face: "I was-I was expecting this. I-can't help it. I've tried–I've tried so hard."

At that moment, McCoy pulled out his mini tricorder and scanned her: her heart rate was high, her blood pressure high; and she was somewhat dehydrated, high-but not critically. She showed all the signs of depression. He got up, went to the replicator, and got her something to drink and handed to her.

"Drink this, your dehydrated-you need to drink more fluids."

"Thank you, Doctor. I'll try to take better care of myself."

McCoy sat back down. He took a deep breath and started his mission:

"I had to go to the Captain. You are ordered for psychiatric help, starting next week." McCoy put his instruments down on the table, leaned over, and grabbed her hands; he looked her in the eye.

"Christine it's not the end of the world. We all experience this kind of pain. Even me! I don't want to see a good woman waste away. you're a good woman Christine!"

Christine couldn't believe her ears; this grumpy, stubborn man revealing himself. She had always known there was a soft-hearted man behind that hard shell. _But why now?_

"You have a lot to offer to the medical field." McCoy continued. "I hope once this is over, you will consider completing your medical degree. You have the ability to be chief surgeon, one day. Maybe you'll even replace me."

With that statement, McCoy got a small smirk from her. Christine looked at him and smiled, he had made her feel a little better.

"Right now, you need to take care of yourself and recover from this-this situation. Because I need my head nurse back! Who is going to keep all those other nurses from screwing up!" McCoy demanded, waving his hands at her and looking around her quarters.

"How long am I on medical leave?"

"As long as it takes"

"Who is going to replace me?"

"Replace you? Are you crazy? No one can replace you! Nurse Running Deer will take over duties temporarily, until you recover."

McCoy grabbed her hands again to support he; she really needed it. Christine needed a friend, in the midst of the celebration of Spock and Uhura.

Christine took a deep breath. She knew McCoy was right; she had to stop wallowing in this depression. "Thank you McCoy. I'll do it! I know you tried to warn me about Spock, but I couldn't accept it."

"That's my girl, I want you to start seeing Dr. Robinson next week, or sooner if you want. I notified her about you. You'll like her."

"How-How is-Spock and Nyota?" Christine asked, glancing at McCoy, and giving him a suspicious look.

McCoy was taken back at the unexpected question. He leaned back into his chair, wondering if he's should answer a partial truth or a whole lie. He takes a deep breath:

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"I've been trying to process this, Doctor-"

"Please call me Lennie."he said.

She gave him a small chuckle and squeezed his hand. "It's OK-I'll be good."

"Then for honesty's sake, they are doing well."

Tears formed in her eyes, but she took a deep breath and managed to hold them at bay.

"When I recover, Lennie, I want to wish them the best."

"Now that's my girl! Christine you have a big heart. It'll take time and I will be with you every step of the way."

"When do I start?"

"You can start any time"

"Then I'll start tomorrow. I want to get over this Lennie."

"Good! I don't think I can take any more of this!" McCoy said, stands up to leave. "I'll check on you and Dr. Robinson from time to time. Now take care of yourself and get something to eat."

"Okay Lennie," Christine said with a small smile. McCoy answered with a wider smile and left.

Christine lay down on her bed, hugged her pillow as the tears fell again in her lonely room. _'I have to get over this before I go crazy or they really put me in a penal colony._ ' She turned over and tried to sleep without dreaming about Spock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: [1]The Battle for Spock part 2:chapter 11 & 12
> 
> TOS:[2] The Balance of Terror


	9. Confronting the Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta Reader:Jsilver2000
> 
> Summary: The plans to celebrate Spock and Sarek's accomplishments, as well as to ceremonially validate Spock and Nyota's bond, are well under way. T'Pring is not happy to be included, but Amanda is quite pleased with how everything is going. McCoy had to place Christine Chapel on medical leave to deal with her deep feelings toward Spock.

Meanwhile, back on Vulcan during the first week:

Amanda Grayson was in a good mood; she couldn't believe what T'Pau had done; her face was lit up with joy. Amanda had so much respect for T'Pau and the leverage she'd wielded to rectify the damage that had been done to her family over the decades. Amanda noticed right away when she appeared in public with Sarek that people spoke to them and showed respect for the work Sarek and Spock had done. The positive change in the Vulcan people's demeanor was a welcome sight. Amanda felt as if life was changing for the better, not only for herself, but for her husband and Spock. She even noticed people addressing Sarek as _S'haile_ [Lord] and making complimentary comments about Spock's service in Starfleet. Amanda's heart jumped with joy; knowing that Sarek was proud of Spock strengthened her love for her husband.

Amanda looked at her Padd and saw the the guest list and their responses. The response was overwhelming: 75% of the invitees had already accepted the invitation to attend Spock's reception, and the list was growing. The fact the President of the Federation was number one on the invite set the pace. The friendliest delegates followed; they respected Sarek's position and his contribution to the Federation. Now they were showing their respect by attending something important to Vulcan and to Sarek. The marriage reception for their son. Then something caught her eye, which widened in disbelief. She went to the intercom and paged Sevel to her office.

"How may I serve you, Lady Amanda?"

"Sevel, I want to thank you for taking over the invitations. Your service honors us." Sevel bowed his head in acknowledgment.

"But I have noticed that the S'oleh-nau clan were invited; who authorized that?"

"Lady Amanda, it was a direct request from Lady T'Pau."

Amanda took a deep breath; she couldn't argue with that, and she wasn't going to make a scene about it either. But in her heart, she didn't want to see that b*tch. After all the time that had passed, Amanda was still possessed by a strong urge to slap the insolent look off T'Pring's face. She would never forget how T'Pring flaunted herself in front of Vulcan with her suitors. Then the challenge on their _kali-i-farr._ But T'Pau had gone up against the Vulcan High Command to coerce them into officially recognizing Spock's and Sarek's accomplishments and funding the reception.

"Thank you, Sevel. How are the arrangements going so far?"

"Lady Amanda, the accommodations for all honored guests are being prepared. A specially designed suite is being constructed to accommodate the S'chn T'gai clan, including Dr. Uhura from Earth. I am in the process of assessing musicians from Earth, Andoria, Ardana, and other Federation Planets who have volunteered to perform for _S'haile_ Spock. I am currently arranging the performance roster for the day of the ceremony."

"Really?"

"Also, the interior arrangements are 68.9% complete. A variety of delicacies are also being arranged to suit each guest's palate."

"This is great, Sevel. Are we behind in anything that needs clearance or purchase?"

"Not at this time, Lady Amanda. Vulcan Central personnel have been assigned as security at checkpoints to avoid interference from uninvited guests such as Terran social media."

"I wonder if we need more time for anything?"

"Lady Amanda, I estimate that the ceremony preparations will be completed 11.275 days."

Amanda looked at Sevel, thinking, Vulcans and their precision—it just kills me. "Wow, that's great. That means the Altair VI plans are ahead of schedule."

"Precisely. Excuse me, Lady Amanda. I need to continue with my work. Is there anything else I can do to be of service?"

Amanda chuckled. "No, Sevel, that's all."

Sevel looked at Amanda in confusion. He didn't understand human humor and had never gotten used to the sound that of laughter. He left to continue with his work.

Amanda continued with her linguistics project; the Federation always asked for her input in enhancing and applying the universal translator. Her mind drifted back to the thought that T'Pring was coming to the reception and then jumped to Spock's wife, Nyota. _How will Nyota feel when Spock's former fiancée shows up?_ _That doesn't look good from any standpoint._ Amanda shoved her concerns to the back of her mind, pleased that the wedding reception would be ready on time; she clasped her hands together. _Now I just need my son and his wife here._

* * *

Meanwhile at the S'oleh-nau clan estate:

T'Pring and Stonn sat in their matriarch's library. When they had received the news that T'Lan had summoned them, they were surprised (for Vulcans).

Solen and T'Lan walked in and the couple stood to show respect. They exchanged greetings and then they all sat in a semi-circle.

"I have required your presence to inform you that the S'chn T'gai clan has requested compensation for T'Pring's behavior during Commander Spock's kali-i-farr," [1] T'Lan said clearly and sternly.

T'Pring's brow arched while Stonn stared ahead, focusing on controlling his emotions.

"Solen and I spoke to T'Pau about her accusation that the laws of the kali-i-farr were violated. She stated that T'Pring's choice in the kali-i-fee was unacceptable and violated our traditions as Vulcans."

T'Pring stiffened and asked, "How can this be, T'Lan? It was my right to choose a champion."

"Yes, it was your right to choose a champion, but was Captain Kirk your only option?"

T'Lan eyed her carefully, then slowly glanced toward Stonn. T'Lan had never understood why T'Pring chose the outworlder; it was an illogical choice. Then there was Stonn— _kaiidth_ [what is, is].

"Commander Spock has become a legend among our people; I chose not to be a part of that."

"You chose not to be bonded to a half-human Vulcan; you demonstrated your anger toward Spock by choosing the human as your champion, despite the fact that Stonn was both available and your intended. Then there is the additional accusation that you encouraged other suitors to invoke koon-ut-so'lik [propose marriage], which I had to decline and inform them of your marriage."

"The question is moot, T'Lan; T'Pring and I are bonded," Stonn said.

T'Lan looked at Stonn in disappointment, first, because he had not fought for the woman, which was part of the Vulcan tradition. And second, he went ahead with bonding to T'Pring despite her poor behavior. No chivalry on his part. Stonn showed signs of weakness. But while Spock was experiencing the plak tow [blood fever], he had shown strength, despite the loss of logic due to his condition. The comparison of the two males' behavior was an embarrassment to the clan. T'Lan had performed the kali-i-farr to avoid more accusations.

"It may be so from your perspective, Stonn, but not from T'Pau's; she used the laws regarding our marriage customs and presented her case to the Vulcan High Command; she received a favorable judgment. Now we are at the mercy of the S'chn T'gai clan in regard to compensation."

"It was suggested that your marriage be dissolved because of T'Pring's choice of an outworlder as her champion. Kirk had no prior knowledge of our customs and thus could not make a rational choice during the kali-i-fee," Solen said.

T'Pring stood, steepling her fingers in an attempt to control her fear and anger in reaction to her father's statement.

"I do not desire to be bonded to THAT—THAT Vulcan." T'Pring paused, rethought her words and she was wise in her choice of words.

"We have been bonded and mating for 2.67 years, T'Lan. If that is the only choice, then I will challenge Spock for T'Pring," Stonn asserted.

"You should have challenged him during the wedding!" T'Lan snarled.

"I attempted to, but I was hindered."

"You, being the male and head of the household for your future bride, should have intervened."

Stonn was about to counter T'Lan's statement, but her eyes became hooded and dark. T'Lan held up her hand; the conversation was leading nowhere.

"It is done; we will pay the compensation for this indiscretion. We as a clan will be in servitude to the S'chn T'gai clan for a generation. We are to attend the reception ceremony for Commander Spock and his human bride three weeks hence. We are required to acknowledge and give respect for Commander Spock's accomplishments to Vulcan and the United Federation of Planets, as well as to his bride."

T'Lan looked at all three solemn faces; there was nothing that she could do. "What I have done was done for the clan as a whole. It would invite a _naul-tor_ [feud] if we were to refuse. Such is T'Pau's right."

T'Lan left her descendants to continue conversing. She had said enough; she had done enough. Two children in her clan had failed; now they all must pay. "Kaiidth."

Solen watched his matriarch walk out of the room. A lot had been said about Commander Spock during the council meeting. Solen had seen satisfaction on Sarek's face when the Council had agreed that his clan had failed to honor the contract.

Solen turned to his daughter: _"Ko-fu_ [daughter], was marrying Spock so offensive as to warrant a _kali-i-fee?"_

T'Pring turned away; she would never admit to a living soul how much she hated Spock. Or the fact that she was extremely jealous of him because of his intelligence. His accomplishments in science had surpassed those of any scientist at the Vulcan Science Academy. She was also envious that his mixed culture, which had once been seen as a sign of weakness, had now become an important part of his legend.

"I had no desire for him as a child; he had no control of his emotions."

"That was when he was child, but 2.67 years ago he presented himself as a man," Solen argued.

"Are you supporting Spock as a man in my presence, Solen?" Stonn snapped. He was now keenly feeling the pain of his failure to stand up as a warrior to defend his desired mate.

"I am questioning T'Pring's allowing her opinion as a child to dictate her decision as a woman."

"Sa-mekh [Father], I had no choice in the matter as a child; you and the matriarch chose him."

"Yes, you are correct, but other options could have been chosen to avoid the current situation, chief among them you honoring our agreement with the S'chn T'gai clan."

"I have no desire to attend this reception."

"You and Stonn have no choice; our clan will face serious consequences if we do not comply with T'Pau and the Vulcan High Command; further sanctions against the clan will be implemented. That, my daughter, I will not permit," Solen said sternly.

"As long as we agree to their terms, you and Stonn will be permitted to remain married."

"But Spock is already married!" Stonn interjected.

"Yes, but your marriage might not be recognized under Vulcan law."

"My wife and I will attend the reception."

T'Pring turned to Stonn in disagreement and arched her brow. Then she bowed her head and left her husband and father in disgust.

T'Pring returned to her home, where she sat on a lounge chair and reflected on her childhood betrothal to Spock.

Yes, despite being bonded to him for more than 20 years, S'chn T'gai Spock was still an enigma to T'Pring, as well as to many Vulcans. That fact that his father, Sarek, had bonded to a human made the insult worse. She remembered the rumors of his tainted blood and lack of control of his emotions, which deepened her resistance to being bonded to him. But the contract had been agreed to; she had no choice. She honored her family with the brief ceremony. T'Pring had observed Sarek's bondmate, the way she looked, her mannerisms, which were different from anything she had seen. She had seen other aliens only in vids that were part of her studies; only a few Vulcans were permitted to leave their homes or planet as children. But now, with the expansion of technology and travel, some Vulcan families had moved to space stations and colonies on other planets. But Spock did not try to reach out to her, nor did she try to reach out to him. They had arranged to communicate occasionally with each other when they first were bonded, but the arrangement didn't last long; neither one had anything they wished to relate to the other. T'Pring had had to deal with ostracization by her schoolmates, and even some adults, who frowned upon the fact that she was bonded to the human/Vulcan. She was ignored by her peers; T'Pring hated Spock for that. She despised him because she had overheard people say that any offspring with Spock would taint the family bloodline and she would be the cause of it.

Nothing had prepared her for the announcement that he would be attending the Federation Starfleet Academy; that was the final nail in the coffin that was their relationship. In her opinion, Spock—despite his high academic achievements—had failed to perform his duties as her betrothed. It had been expected that Spock would attend the Vulcan Science Academy, which would have given her more clarity on his intentions. When he refused, his decision affected her more than himself. It was unheard of to reject such a prestigious position, but Spock had. And the fact that he did not consult her about such a momentous choice made her feel insignificant in the relationship—that and that alone would have induced her choose another mate. It has been noted that T'Pring, as a Vulcan woman, was considered a most desirable, well-educated, and sought-after woman. The fact Spock did not—after all these years—engage in any form of communication about his decision was a slap in the face. Their bond was almost non-existent, as if Spock had no desire to know her at all. But the knowledge that other males desired her soothed her feelings of rejection by Spock.

When reports of Spock's achievements in Starfleet became common in Vulcan newscasts, it became clear that he felt no duty to inform her of anything, including health, accomplishments in Starfleet, dangers, or even any report of his well-being. But Vulcans would comment to her on his accomplishments and congratulate her on such a bondmate. Spock's continued to ignore her, and her ire increased as the years went by. When she reached 28 cycles and no pon farr occurred, she wondered if Spock would ever reach sexual maturity and enter his Time. That was a concern for her, a big one, that the marriage would never be consummated. The average male reached sexual maturity at cycle 21–28, but Spock had not. T'Pring did not desire to wait for another cycle before having a child. She wondered whether Spock had somehow mastered his Time and whether he had any desire at all to honor the contract. T'Pring had to look out for herself and chose to engage another consort to stand for her. After all these years, Spock's rejection still haunted her; she had been determined to see that he had rejected her for the last time. Her plan had backfired, and now he was coming back to torment her again; if she did not show him the proper respect, it would cost her her marriage to Stonn, and few other males would have any interest in her after that. She deeply felt the insult that he had chosen to marry a Terran woman over her. In her mind, the S'chn T'gai clan had become more tainted, not by her, but by Spock's own doing. What if she had married him? She would now be a Vulcan lady of high social status and far more respectable.

T'Pring had heard rumors since her wedding about the outcome of their _kal-i-farr,_ rumors that a non-Vulcan had been chosen as champion. She had thought victory was in her grasp when Captain Kirk fell in the battle. She had been determined to show Spock how much he had hurt her; for a brief moment she had tasted victory, knowing that Kirk was not only Spock's commanding officer but also his friend. Then she had found out she had been tricked by Spock—the captain did not die! Now his family had control over hers. It was humiliating! He had won—again!

* * *

Later that evening at the S'chn T'gai compound, Sarek of Vulcan had endured a long day. Between the embassy, the Vulcan High Command, and the Science Academy all requiring his presence, he had been run ragged. He felt relieved to have reached his home, where he could meditate and relax for the next few days, as finally all their plans for Spock's reception had been set in motion. When he entered his home, it was always silent, which his preference. But a strong aroma caught his attention, and he proceeded toward the dining area. When he entered the room, there was an array of candles positioned around the room to give off a warm glow. Sarek's eyebrow rose. Interesting, he thought. He observed the arrangement and concluded it was what Terrans called a 'romantic setting'. Sarek, with his keen eyes and nose, saw and smelled all of his favorite dishes and wondered why his wife has chosen this night to plan such an event. Then he heard humming coming from the kitchen and Amanda appeared with a hot dish in her hands. She wore a transparent floral print pashmina tunic; underneath was a solid slip-type sheath. It complimented her figure. Amanda looked up to see her husband standing near the table and gave him a big smile.

"Sarek, you′re home; you are just in time for end meal."

She placed the dish on the table, allowing Sarek to get a better view of her apparel. The material enhanced her body form and from their bond he observed: _My wife's body temperature has risen_ _1_ _.23 degrees, her heart rate has increased to_ _93_ _beats per minute. Pheromone and hormone production has increased by 7.67 percent. My wife is in the process of preparing for copulation._ Sarek was pleased with this, the he saw her face was radiant causing him to respond:

Indeed!

"Aduna, I will join you and prepare for end meal."

He left the dining area and went to the master bedroom, where he showered and changed into loose-fitting lounging clothes. When he returned to the dining area, his wife had just placed the drinking goblets on the table, along with a bottle of Vulcan ale placed next to his seat.

"Aduna?"

"Yes, Sarek?"

He noticed the tone of her voice was soft and… quite appealing. It brought memories of their courtship. He smirked and saw that Amanda had noticed and responded with hooded eyes.

"What is the purpose of presenting end meal with such care?"

"I wanted to say thank you for everything that you are doing for Spock."

"Spock is our son; gratitude is not necessary."

"As your aduna, it is my duty to show gratitude when my husband does a noble thing to satisfy his wife."

Sarek noticed that her scent had become more tantalizing; it had been some time since their last sexual union. ' _I will entertain my wife for this event.'_

He went to the table and pulled out a chair for her to sit. He offered his fingers in the _ozh'esta_ [finger embrace], and Amanda responded in kind. A tingling sensation danced on Amanda's hand and moved up her arm to the rest of her body, and she gasped. Sarek sat and began to serve his wife from the dishes placed in front of him. Amanda poured ale into each of the goblets.

"Sarek, there is a saying on my planet that the males of my species implement during the lifetime of their marriage."

"What statement is this, my wife?"

Amanda looked at him as she passed him his drink with a smile, "Happy wife, happy life, and believe me, I'm a very happy wife at this moment."

Sarek acknowledged her look and started to anticipate the events that would soon occur in their bedroom.

"Aduna, we should conclude our evening meal quickly in order to allow me time to show you my gratitude," Amanda purred.

Sarek was not slow to take in her message. Amanda was excited, and they ate as little as possible. _That's my man._

As they ate, Sarek had trouble concentrating on his meal; his wife's pheromones were sending their own message, loud and clear. He thought about how to move to the next phase of their lovemaking, and he remembered that a certain touch on her neck stimulated her into moaning sounds that signified satisfaction with the sexual engagement. He could no longer endure the scent and tension that she was projecting. He slowly got up and stood behind his wife, lifting her hair from around her neck. He leaned down and pressed his lips against the sensitive spot on her neck; as if on cue, his wife let out a small moan and whispered,

"Ashalik."

Amanda stood and turned into his embrace, and their foreheads touched. While his fingers caressed the erogenous zone on her neck, Sarek swiftly picked her up and carried her to their bedroom. By this time, Sarek himself was eager to engage in copulation with his wife, feeling quite stimulated: _I will spend the next 2.257 days with my wife to claim this gratitude._

Amanda was in seventh heaven as Sarek carried her to their bedroom, her arms wrapped around his broad shoulders. Nothing about Sarek's body had changed; he still had the same chiseled chest and long, muscular legs. He had displayed the same sexual stamina since they married, except for a slight improvement after his operation.[2] Her hand raked through his two-tone gray and black hair, ruffling it as she peppered him with kisses. _My adonis; there's nothing like a Vulcan man as a husband._ Amanda heard a low rumble from his chest, and she rested her head on his shoulder and smiled.

The next morning, Sarek was early to rise; he slowly and quietly lifted himself out of their bed. He stretched his long arms and legs and looked down at his faithful mate sleeping peacefully with a slight smile on her face. Then a soft moan came from her, the sound that had become a stimulant to him, and his desire was renewed. Amanda was his, and his alone. He liked watching her face, which revealed her immense satisfaction with their joining. He went to refresh himself in the large bathroom and then dressed and went downstairs to meditate. During his meditation, his thoughts turned to his son and his journey back to Vulcan to have his marriage ceremonially validated. Now his son would experience the gauntlet of being married to a human, but his knowledge of human culture was far greater than his father's. Spock had lived among humans for over 20 years; his perspective of them could enlighten Vulcans about many aspects of human culture. Nyota had become fluent in languages that few humans could master, including two Vulcan dialects _—Fascinating!—_ This merge between them would resolve many doubts about human–Vulcan compatibility. But the main reason for Sarek′s deep meditation to finally put to rest his resentment of Spock and the family′s Vulcan Science Academy versus Starfleet Academy saga. _Was it pride that sowed the seed of separation between us? Was the expectation greater than required? Spock has used his abilities to enhance his capacities in many areas. I might have erred._

After his meditation, Sarek sent a notice to his staff that he and Amanda would not be in and not to contact them unless an extreme emergency were to occur. He also sent a notice to the house staff and Sevel, releasing them to spend time with their families. He went upstairs to check on his wife and found her still sleeping in a dream-like state and emitting soft moans. Sarek opened their bond slightly and found her delighting in the events of the preceding night. A smirk formed on his face; he found it quite satisfactory that his wife still found pleasure in this. Sarek left to clean the kitchen and dispose of their uncompleted end meal and then prepare breakfast for her. Sarek had enjoyed her display of 'gratitude' and decided he would continue to celebrate this gratitude with his wife. A small smirk formed on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> Star Trek TOS:
> 
> [1] Amok Time
> 
> [2]The Journey to Babel.


	10. It's a Start

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Spock and Nyota continued to bask in the joy their marriage had brought. Nyota continued to research Vulcan history, looking for loopholes to apply in her plan to deal with T'Pring. Nyota is determined to do something about what she did against all her logic and reasons. [To understand Uhura's reasons go back to; "The Battle for Spock part 2; chapter 8"]

****

**Week 2: Enterprise POV: It's a Start**

Christine had started her therapy with Dr. Robinson to deal with her depression over Spock's marriage. She sat quietly in front of the woman who held the power to return her to duty. Christine wanted to go back to work; it was her life dream. But then again, so was Commander Spock.

"Can you tell me when you started to like the Commander?"

Christine spoke softly, "I can't put a date on it, but I guess the first day I was assigned to the _Enterprise_. Commander Spock is different."

"Because he's a Vulcan?"

"No, because he's like no other man; he has no ego to bruise."

"What attracted you to him?"

"Would you believe his ears?" Christine asked, chuckling softly.

"His ears? What's so special about his ears?": Latoya giving Christine a curious look.

Christine continued to chuckle, breaking, if only for a moment, the despair that had engulfed her since she heard of Spock and Nyota's marriage.

"It's just one of those physical differences that I liked about him."

Christine leaned forward:

"Dr. Robinson, everyone has a certain type or quality they like in a person. Mr. Spock is known for his pointed ears; I find them attractive. But then I found out that I'm not the only one who finds his ears attractive."

"Please call me Latoya. Christine, I want you to be informal with me so that you can feel comfortable enough to express your feelings. And what do you mean you're NOT the only one?"

"It turns out that other women on the ship secretly find the Commander attractive as well, and they have also been pining over him. That made me feel like a fool."

"You shouldn't feel like a fool just because other women find the same man attractive. Tell me more about the Commander."

Christine gave Latoya a sorrowful look: "I thought—I used to think—that we had a connection. I thought I understood him better than anyone. If you've ever been left out or left behind—you get this feeling of loneliness. People would make fun of Spock or attack his character without really knowing him. People judged him on his outward appearance, but I witnessed and observed his caring qualities. He's really close to the Captain and Dr. McCoy, and he would sometimes let down his barriers or show a certain amount of human expression. He doesn't do that often; he very reserved—almost shy. I like that in a man. There were certain times, like when he was sick with his physiological fever. For the first time, Spock expressed anger, hurt, and loneliness, all at the same time. People wanted to put him away, but I wanted to help him any way that I could. I couldn't stand to see him suffer, and it's not the only time I've seen him suffer. I felt a connection with the way he reached out to know me to fill his loneliness."

Christine's eyes filled with tears, which started to run down her face:

"That's why I love him so much, and it's so hard to deal with the fact that he is married to one of my friends."

Latoya gave her a tissue and let her cry.

"I'm so tired of crying—so tired of hurting."

"That's why I'm here—to help you stop hurting, Christine."

"I know, but I still love that Vulcan man."

"I want to thank you for sharing this; I know it was hard. With such loss in a situation like this, we can only move forward. Christine, I want to help you move forward from this pain."

LaToya reached out and held Christine's hands to support her.

"We are going to do this together; you are not alone in this. Do you believe that?"

Christine nodded her head yes.

"So let's start with the road of discovery, which leads to recovery."

* * *

Later that evening, a dinner was in progress; it was a reunion of the wedding party: Sulu and Charlene were now officially dating, so McCoy, Kirk, Scotty, and Eve were entertaining themselves by teasing the two for dating. Uhura and Spock observed the friendly banter while holding their fingers in the _ozh'esta_.

McCoy smiled slyly at Sulu and asked, "So, Masters, has Sulu finally shown you his sword collection?"

A round of snickering ensued; everyone knew it was a game changer. Charlene looked shyly at Sulu.

"Yes, he did!" she said. "And he gave me a lot details about them."

The group burst out laughing.

Scotty held up his goblet toward them: "What a brave lass to endure the tedious sword collection monologue."

This generated even more laughter.

Sulu laughed sheepishly, "Ha, ha, ha."

"What surprised me is that Masters and Brody won the bet," Kirk said, waggling his eyebrows at Charlene.

Nyota looked curiously at Charlene: "What bet?"

Charlene and Eve exchanged embarrassed glances while the men snickered.

"Well Ny—Dr. McCoy made this bet that Mr. Spock—would—um—return early from his honeymoon."

Kirk looked mischievously at his friend: "It was the men against the women."

"And I thought I knew Spock—I thought it was a sure thing," McCoy added.

Nyota gave the group her own mischievous look and said seductively, "Too bad, gentlemen, that you lost that bet, but I can assure you those extra 24 hours were not wasted on talking about logic."

Spock hid his reaction behind his water glass, and Nyota picked up wine glass to sip and observe the group's reactions.

Three forks dropped onto their plates, a glass was knocked over on the table, and gasps were heard, followed by comments:

"DAMN!"

"Oh—wow!"

"Spock is the man!"

"Deeeeeeeeeep!"

"That's what we get for playing!"

"Never underestimate a Vulcan!"

Charlene and Eve broke out in laughter: "Never estimate the power of love," Eve said. The two women tipped their glasses together in victory.

The wedding party laughed at the couple, while Spock and Nyota performed the finger embrace.

"The fact is that he's getting all the attention, now that he's a prince," Kirk complained good-naturedly.

"I'm not a prince, Jim."

"According to Starfleet you are!" Kirk replied as all the Terrans joined together in laughter.

Sulu broached another topic: "I keep hearing this strange story about Nyota."

"What story is that? We all know the lass can sing like an angel," Scotty replied.

Sulu continued: "Well, that's true, but I've heard that she's been in fights over Mr. Spock."

The men chuckled while the three women froze, their eyes widening. Nyota broke the connection with Spock's fingers and placed her hands in her lap.

"She fought over Spock's ears on that planet sometime back," Kirk interjected.[1]

"Yeah; Charlene told me some parts of that story, but the crew keeps mentioning another confrontation on the ship," Sulu said.

This caught McCoy's interest; he leaned toward Sulu and said, "Tell us whatcha heard!"

"Well, the rumor goes that Nyota kicked some female crewmen's a$$es for approaching Mr. Spock, and there was also something about a women's club for him only."[2]

The room became silent, with curious looks going back and forth between Nyota and Charlene.

Even Kirk wanted to know more: "Keep going, Sulu; I'm really interested in this information."

"It's really weird; there is this club that any woman who likes Mr. Spock can join to share their admiration of him. The strangest thing is that—you won't believe it—is that Nurse Chapel was the leader."

"Nurse Chapel?" the men chorused.

The men, including Spock, looked at the women curiously; Nyota, feeling their stares, took a deep breath:

"Yes, it's true. Mr. Spock has his own secret admirers club."

Spock's eyebrows rose in astonishment. "Interesting."

McCoy was shocked. Christine was so obsessed with Spock that she and his other admirers had formed their own club. His mind had a hard time grasping the concept; he thought he knew Christine—his rock-steady head nurse. He would have expected that she would have control over her affection for Spock. He felt slight disappointment and sadness that it had gone this far.

"Mr. Spock has his own harem?" Scotty wondered aloud. "Like where the ladies entertain ya all the time? That's a man's dream."

"Well I'll be damned! Our pointed-eared Vulcan has lady admirers on the ship, as well that purple lady on that planet?" McCoy demanded, glaring at Spock.

Scotty took a sip of his drink: "I never took Mr. Spock for a lady-killer."

Charlene continued with the facts: "Gentlemen, the members of this club would follow Mr. Spock around the ship and tell their favorite fantasy all day long! I don't think I've ever been in the mess hall without his name being brought up."

"Yeah, then they would hound me about Spock, asking me about his personal business or asking me directly like how I liked working next to him. I'm so glad my man is not like most men, so it doesn't feed his ego!" Nyota folded her arms, looking distressed.

Kirk started laughing again: "I like it—Mr. Spock, our neighborhood Casanova—I never would have guessed!"

Spock was not pleased; Nyota had told him a few months ago that the women crew members found him attractive, and he was aware of Nurse Chapel's declared intentions. But, in his opinion, a society of admirers was unorthodox and unnecessary; the only attention that he desired was from his wife:

"I do not understand why the female crew would engage in such an activity; it's completely illogical. I'm am at a loss."

The party chuckled at Spock's response.

Eve tried to explain: "Mr. Spock, it's just that some women have different taste in what they are looking for in relationships. Some women are attracted to the quiet type of man, as opposed to loud, flashy men, who usually get the most attention."

"It's true, Mr. Spock. Many women take a more subtle approach to relationships, so the club members were scoping you out," Charlene added.

Eve saw the jealousy on faces of the men just realizing that Mr. Spock had stolen their thunder: "Oh, don't worry, gentlemen; Captain Kirk is still the main object of the female crew members' affections. Charlene and I just won this huge bet."

All the men except Spock turned toward Eve and chimed: "What?"

Charlene giggled: "It was the biggest credit jackpot I've ever won!"

Eve explained the betting: "You see, the bets were on Nyota and the Captain to hook up because—well, the Captain is known for his charisma, and Nyota is known for her beauty. Being the most popular made them the most obvious potential couple; that was the bettors' mistake. So when Mr. Spock came out of nowhere and married Nyota, Charlene and I cashed in!"

They both reached over and high-fived each other.

"Yeah, if this keeps up, Eve and I will be millionaires!"

Eve added with a smile: "But we owe it to all to Mr. Spock for marrying Nyota!"

McCoy's mouth dropped open: "I'll be damned again!"

Sulu looked at his new girlfriend and smiled: "I think it's cool that my girl knows how to bet; I think she'll do well at my next poker game."

More laughs went around.

Then McCoy had an epiphany about the club of admirers: "Excuse me, Eve and Charlene, by any chance were Abigail Franklin and Janet Sullivan in Mr. Spock's secret club?"[3]

Nyota stiffened, holding her breath; now was the moment of truth " _DAMN!_ "

Eve and Charlene looked curiously at the Captain and each other but kept silent.

"Well, ladies, there's nothing I can do anyway; their files are closed, and there's no investigation. So, therefore, what we say here, stays here," McCoy said.

Charlene looked inquiringly at Nyota, silently asking, "Should we?" Nyota nodded, giving her permission to tell. She didn't have a choice; she wanted it done and over with anyway. Hiding stuff from Spock was not a good way to begin a marriage. Plus the fact that the injury cases were closed gave Nyota leverage.

Charlene continued: "Yes, Dr. McCoy, they are, and they threatened Nyota over her dating Mr. Spock."

Kirk turned his chair toward her in shock, "What?"

The other men also had shocked looks on their faces.

Charlene jumped out of her seat to tell the story: "Oh, you should have seen Nyota. They would talk junk, threaten, and challenged her about Mr. Spock. Nyota tried to be ladylike and talk to them about respect, but nooo, they took it to another level. They told Nyota they would beat her down, but my girl kicked a$$! She used moves on them that I've never seen, and then their pride was hurt and they swore they wouldn't tell a soul as they limped to Sickbay. Then the message got out to not mess with Nyota or her man. Nyota is awesome!" Charlene declared as she pumped her fist in the air.

Everyone had an amazed look on their face, including Spock.

Kirk shook his head: "I've never would have believed that about you, Uhura."

"Captain, I did try to negotiate with them first, but the accusations were just too much, and I was disrespected. She turned to Spock to justify her actions: "Spock, darling, I know it doesn't seem logical for your point of view, but human females sometimes have to stake their claim to make it clear that—as you say in Vulcan terms—their "property" is no longer available. Our relationship was secret by your request. I attempted to honor it, and believe me it was a struggle. I hope you understand my reasons."

Spock did understand her reasons; he felt the same way when he would hear the male crew converse about Nyota's sexual appeal. He remembered having to deal with Lt. Boma claiming that Nyota was his woman. [4] The struggle to deal with Boma's declaration had been overwhelming: could he have taken physical action? He had to consider the consequences. Yes—according to his Vulcan instincts and Vulcan law, he had every right. But Vulcan law did not apply on a Federation starship.

"Yes, I understand the circumstances of your actions and that you were attempting to honor my request to keep our relationship secret. I was unaware of the situation that you were placed in, requiring you to resort to such actions on my behalf. For that, my wife, I ask forgiveness; I did not mean to jeopardize your position as an officer and the woman that you are."

Spock offered Nyota his fingers, and she in return touched his in return. She found only respect and admiration for her actions. Then his consciousness touched Nyota in a sexual way, causing her eyes to widen and a warm smile of anticipation to emerge on her face.

Nyota hadn't expected that kind of reaction to all the fights she'd been through. It was a relief that she didn't have to hide anymore. She hadn't liked keeping those secrets from Spock. She responded to her loving Vulcan with love and gratitude for how he viewed her situation.

Eve looked at Charlene as she sat back down and they both took in the tender moment between Spock and Nyota:

"I don't know, Charlene, but that is the most romantic thing I've ever heard," Eve said, placing her hands over her heart.

Charlene sighed deeply: "Yeah, Mr. Spock is in a class all by himself."

Scotty couldn't believe what he just heard. He was shocked to see the women looking googly-eyed at Mr. Spock like some kind of Adonis. "He just agreed that he approved of his wife kicking someone's a$$?"

Sulu and McCoy chimed in in unison: "Yeah, he did!"

Kirk sat there smirking, highly amused that Spock had taken his spot as ship's Casanova and that Uhura had beaten up two or maybe more crewwomen over him. " _DAMN! That is sexy!"_ He turned to Uhura, raising his eyebrow:

"Ms. Uhura, or Mrs. Spock, I hope that will be the last time I hear of incidents like this?"

Uhura sat up straight: "Oh yes, Captain! The women got my message to leave my man alone!"

Everyone laughed.

Nyota took a deep breath and sighed:

"Well, I'm glad it's out in the open. I didn't know whether the Captain would approve of my actions. I was worried; that's for sure!"

The group chuckled.

Scotty chimed in with: "All that means, Ms. Uhura, is that when it comes to your Mr. Spock, you're a force to reckon with; no other lassie would want to contend with ya, fa sure!"

McCoy laughed and added, "I think we need to take Nyota on more beamdown missions when there are other females involved. I think our missions would get done faster."

Kirk sat back and took in all that was said. He remembered what Charlene had said on Nyota and Spock's wedding night: that people would interfere in their marriage. It had already happened with Boma, the female crew members, and even Nurse Chapel. Kirk turned to the couple to find out more:  
"Spock, what happens when you get Vulcan?"

"Our marriage will be authenticated by my clan's matriarch; it is analogous to a health check. It will ensure that Nyota and I have a secure bond."

"That's interesting. So Nyota will always be able to read your mind?" Kirk asked.

"No, Captain. It is hard to explain; we sort of merge as one."

"Wow—that is so different," Eve said.

"Will there be another wedding service?" Scotty asked.

Spock answered: "I am unaware of another wedding ceremony on Vulcan."

McCoy was still a bit nervous about going back to Vulcan. "You mean that you won't encounter any other suitors like the last time?" he asked.

Spock raised one of his brows while answering McCoy: "I believe this ceremony will not have distractions or incidents."

Nyota felt through their bond that Spock was feeling uncomfortable about discussion of the Vulcan ceremony that Kirk and McCoy had participated in. So she decided to end the conversation and the evening.

"I want to thank everyone for a wonderful dinner and great conversation!"

Nyota extended her fingers toward Spock, letting him know she was ready to retire to their quarters. But she secretly had a hidden agenda, just for her man, for when they returned to their quarters. " _I believe we should take a nice relaxing shower; don't you think?"_

"Gentlemen, ladies, my wife and I will retire now. Thank you for the evening meal."

Spock and Nyota stood with their fingers engaged, bowed toward the group, and left with anticipation.

After Spock and Uhura left, Scotty had a question; "Do ya know why they were always touching their fingers?"

Kirk answered Scotty's question: "It's their form of touching that they only allow in public."

Charlene added; "Nyota told me also, that it's a form of kissing too!"

"I think it's so romantic." Eve chimed.

"It wasn't so romantic what I saw on his home planet, that's a whole new situation." McCoy added.

Kirk added factually; "Well Spock's parents did it a lot when they were here on the ship."

"I wonder if they'll decided to have kids?" inquired Eve.

McCoy rolled his eyes up: "Oh God"

Everyone snickered at the thought.

* * *

Later during the week, another meeting took place.

"Tell me about your friendship with Lieutenant Nyota Uhura."

Christine took a deep breath; she had to address the elephant in the room. The one person who had betrayed her trust over Spock—the one woman she had envied for so long—was now the center of conversation.

"Do we have to talk about her—now?"

"It would help—but if you are not ready—we can discuss her another time. But remember, her name will come up again."

Christine chuckled and started to talk to Latoya sarcastically:

"Nyota Uhura—the _perfect_ one—the _beautiful_ one! Every man desires her. I see men fight over her—discuss her like she's some prima donna. Oh? I forgot—she's now a princess married to SPOCK! No woman can compare to her—she took the only man I've ever loved. I can't forgive her—I don't know how. I trusted her with my secret love for Spock, and she went behind my back and seduced him, catching him in her web. It's been that way since the Academy. I watched her use men, play with their hearts, and burn them like they were paper. She could have any man in the world—the UNIVERSE, but somehow ended up with the most desirable man on this ship. She always get her way—always so lucky—that b*tch!"

Christine was breathing heavily; her fists were balled up on her lap and her eyes were filled with rage.

"Do you know how long I've been trying to get Spock's attention—just to have a decent conversation with him? I had to beat off other women to stop them from even mentioning his name in disrespect. Spock deserves respect. I wonder sometimes why he doesn't have his own ship because he so intelligent—he's that good."

"Do you really believe that Uhura stole Spock from you?"

"YES!"

Did you ever try to confront her about your feelings for the man?"

"Yes!"

Christine took another deep breath:

"It was after Mr. Spock was hurt on this past mission. Dr. McCoy released him from Sickbay. I wanted to do a welfare check on his wounds; he saved most of the landing party. He would do such selfless acts. On my way to his quarters, I encountered Nyota at his door, and she snapped at me for doing my job and closed the door in my face. After that, we had a meeting and Nyota informed me that she was involved with Spock, but she did not tell me that they were already married. MARRIED!"[6]

Christine became so frustrated that she stood up and started pacing, her anger getting the best of her.

"Breathe, Christine—short breaths."

Latoya looked at Christine with deep concern—the poor woman had deep bitterness toward Uhura.

"Christine, I want to thank you for sharing such an intense and painful part of your life. I know this wasn't easy, but I think it is important to find the cause of your situation."

Christine glared at Dr. Robinson:

"I know the cause of my situation! She knew I liked him—we would have conversations about our love interests. Spock is not the type of man you approach and ask out; his shyness makes him so sexy and irresistible."

"Was Uhura always like this toward you, Christine?"

Christine took another deep breath and replied with a trembling voice:

"No, she was a good friend. We shared a room together back at the Academy with Charlene. We would hang out in clubs, go on vacations together, talk all the time about the future for almost two years. We had fun—we were like the Three Musketeers."

Christine sat down again and bowed her head; the tears started to build:

"I can't say when the jealousy started, but I know I liked this guy during my internship. [5] I thought we hit it off. But once he met Nyota, he kind of dropped me. Charlene called me out over my feelings about Spock and Nyota; she knows about my jealousy of Nyota and she suggested we should have talked it out."

"Why didn't you?"

"By that time, I was aware that Spock and Nyota were married; my heart was broken and hurt. I just wasn't ready to believe it. I was holding out hope that he—he— would notice me."[7]

"Christine, I want to say that you were very brave to stay and face this. Down the road, depending on you, would you feel comfortable talking to Nyota about your feelings?"

Christine shook her head adamantly: "NO! I couldn't face her or THEM! My heart couldn't bear it. Nothing like watching your heart ripped wide open again."

Latoya reached over and grabbed both of Christine's hands to give her support. "I'm here with you. Whenever you feel you can handle this, I'll be there with you. OK?"

* * *

McCoy and Robinson had a biweekly review of Christine and her progress:

"How is she doing, Latoya?" McCoy asked, sitting down at his desk and handing her a cup of coffee.

Latoya blew on the hot coffee before sipping it: "Wow, Lennie! This case is deep! Christine has convinced herself she's in love with Mr. Spock."

"I hope you can help her—she's the best head nurse in the Fleet, if you ask me."

"I'll try, Lennie. You keep giving me these hard cases."

"You referring to Boma?"

"Yeah. I can't believe his love interest is Uhura too! Almost a triangle effect—it's weird."

"Uhura is not only smart; she's one of the few women who can pull her weight on the bridge—an all-around woman. The majority of the men are attracted to her. Some are bold, while others admire her from afar. Although she's very beautiful, she's not my type."

"She is one incredible officer."

"How is he doing, by the way? I would like to close his case and give the Captain his report."

"He's making progress; he's a stubborn man though—he mostly suffers from a bruised ego," Robinson said. "But Boma's fascination with her almost destroyed who he is—he didn't see her rejection but quite the opposite. Lennie, he is making progress."

"That's good to hear. I don't think Boma knew Spock's involved with Uhura at time, and I don't want to see the man ruin his career—he's really good in his field."

"Or the fact that Commander Spock is married to Uhura."

"Spock is the best first officer in Starfleet and the best science officer as well—that Vulcan does his job perfectly!"

"Jealous there, Lennie?"

McCoy smirked: "The man who's saved my life umpteen times is my friend and always will be."

"Commander Spock and Nyota Uhura, an unusual match."

"Who can stop love in space—this ship is a Petri dish for its effects."

McCoy sighed deeply and looked at Latoya: "I found out some interesting news when I had dinner with the famous couple."

"What news is that?"

"According to the rumor mill, there was club created by Mr. Spock's admirers, and Christine was their leader."

Latoya was taken aback by the information:

"Really, then that fits right in with Captain Kirk's club as well. You men are ridiculous with the fascination about yourselves."

"Uhura has her own club mind you! Men have claimed her as their girlfriend, fiancée, or spouse! Uhura has a hold on most of the men; she's still breaking their hearts, even more now that she's married."

They both laughed.

"By the way, Lennie, have you dealt with _your_ secret love interest?"

"No. It's a lame duck for now."

"Can you give me a hint?"

McCoy looked slyly at Latoya: "Not worth mentioning now—who knows? Things might look up in the future."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE! I have nothing against Christine Chapel- I promise things will get better for her. Don't kill the me. LOL Future chapters will reflect this. 
> 
> A/N:
> 
> The Battle for Spock part 1:Chapters 4 & 5[1]
> 
> The Battle for Spock part 1: chapter 1 [2]
> 
> The Battle for Spock part 2: Chapter 11 & 12 [4]
> 
> The Battle for Spock Part 2: Chapters 16 & 17[3]
> 
> The Battle for Spock Part 2: Chapter 31 [6]
> 
> The Battle for Spock Part 2: Chapter 32[5]
> 
> The Battle for Spock Part 2: Chapter 33[7]


	11. Week 2: On Vulcan—The Message

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta Reader: Jsilver2000
> 
> Summary:  
> Two Vulcan aides were updating T’Amanda on the wedding reception on Altair VI. The majority of the work was done; they were just finalizing the details of the table seatings and the itinerary. The reception was a one-day event, but it was billed as the gala of the century. The wedding of Ambassador Sarek and Lady Amanda’s only child was to be celebrated, and the ambassador and Commander Spock were to be honored for their service to Vulcan and the Federation. The President of the Federation, Demetrio, was ecstatic about it. He hadn’t known the two people were related.

****

**Week 2: On Vulcan—The Message**

**Earth: San Francisco; Headquarters of Federation of Planets:**

President Demetrio had heard of Commander Spock’s achievements and accomplishments. When he received his invitation to the reception, he com-linked Sarek to give him his congratulations.

“Greetings, Ambassador Sarek.”

“Greetings, President Demetrio. How can I serve you?”

“Ambassador Sarek, you amaze me again! First, I was unaware you had a son in Starfleet, and second, I was astonished to learn that he is Commander Spock of the _Enterprise_. I am aware that he and Captain Kirk have been instrumental in resolving many of the Federation's conflicts.”

“President Demetrio, Vulcans are not known for announcing family connections. But we do honor family values as a race.”

“How is your wife, Amanda?”

“She is currently addressing the reception issues and confirming guest acceptances.”

“How is that going? Do you need any assistance, Sarek?”

“Not at the moment, President Demetrio. All aspects of this event have been delegated.”

“Sarek, you have no idea of the importance of your son's wedding reception. It will symbolize unity among the Federation races and strengthen the alliances that are key to this organization.”

Sarek lifted an eyebrow.

“President Demetrio, we are not celebrating their marriage to reinforce alliances; my son has married a female of his choice. To demonstrate our acceptance of the match and as part of our tradition, my wife has chosen to express her elation with the union.”

Demetrio chuckled at Sarek’s response.

“Oh, I see—my apologies, Sarek.”

“Apologies are not necessary. I merely explained to clarify our intentions with this event.”

“Well, whatever your reasons, I believe it will turn into something incredible for all planetary unions.”

Sarek decided to change the topic, he found it illogical to discuss his family.

“President Demetrio, I have completed the proposals for the upcoming meetings between the planetary delegations of Eminiar VII and Vendikar.”[1]

“Thank you, Ambassador Sarek. This is a delicate situation between two related civilizations. I want both you and Ambassador Fox to review the proposals and present them to both delegations. I refuse to let those two planets become part of the Federation unless those concessions are implemented. And thank you for supporting Ambassador Fox while he has been recovering from his illness.”

“I agree. Hostilities between them must cease if they desire to continue as living species and as civilizations.”

“Thank you again, Ambassador Sarek. I will see you at the appointed date. I again offer my congratulation on Commander Spock’s wedding.”

“Live long and prosper, Mr. President.”

Sarek bowed his head and signed off. Sarek was now free to focus on Vulcan’s issue that would be revealed once Spock and Nyota arrive in the following week. Sarek could not dispute that his son had accomplished a lot in the name of his planet and that he was widely recognized for his position in Starfleet—or the fact that his son's status in the eyes of the Vulcan people had risen greatly. Sarek was aware that opinions of Spock had shifted considerably since he had joined Starfleet and that Spock was no longer considered a novelty but a true Vulcan. Sarek’s concern now was in regard to Spock’s telepathic powers. He had first noticed them when he opened the family bond and observed their strength. This was later confirmed by the healers who examined Spock before he started school. Even Sybok’s telepathic powers—though considerable—were not as strong as Spock’s. _Which linage did they develop from?_ Sarek wondered.

* * *

**Federation of Planets Headquarters: Office of President Demetrios:**

Carlos Rivera had been an aide to the president for four years. He enjoyed the hectic life. He was constantly observing different civilizations and learning much that could advance his career. President Demetrios had treated him with respect, and Carlos found his position rewarding. He came in to the president’s office with a Padd and presented it to the president, standing next to his desk.

“Mr. President, I have your agenda ready for review.”

Demetrios took the Padd and scanned it quickly.

“Carlos, I have to make some changes to my schedule. Vulcan has invited me and other dignitaries to a wedding reception on Altair VI on this date, and I will be there. This was a personal invitation from Vulcan, and I do not want to disappoint them. They have been our strongest ally throughout the history of the Federation. I need you to make the arrangements.”

Demetrios typed in the invitation code, and the date and place were displayed on the Padd. Then he handed it back to Carlos.

“Please make arrangements around this schedule.”

“Yes, Mr. President. Right away.”

Carlos started to leave.

“Carlos, make sure Starfleet Command has my itinerary as well.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Thank you, Carlos.”

Demetrios leaned back in his chair and reflected on what Sarek had said. Sarek had failed to see that the wedding reception for his son would have great influence on the Federation. It reflected on Sarek's work as well; these two strong-minded, incredible men were at the center of the Federation's civilization. This marriage would have an important impact on all cultures within the Federation and would truly represent unity and diversity. _This is perfect._

* * *

**Meanwhile on Vulcan:**

Stonn stood six-foot-two, with broad shoulders. At this moment he didn’t feel like a Vulcan warrior; his emotions and thoughts were uneasy. Since his marriage to T’Pring, he had been ready to stand guard against any male’s challenge for his wife. He had desired her way before she was betrothed to Spock as a child. The _Kal-i-farr_ ceremony had diminished his clan's standing, as well as dealing a blow to his ego. The fact that T’Pring had chosen the human over him had placed him in an unfavorable light in the view of other Vulcans. He had heard the whispers questioning the validity of the challenge and his valor. They had haunted him since their bonding—he was prepared to fight for T’Pring by her request and for her honor. He found T’Pring a compatible match; he appreciated her intelligence and beauty. He was aware of her accomplishments in her research of Vulcan biology. She was an excellent choice for a wife; they had desired each other against the odds of her bonding/child marriage to Spock.

Many had stated that Spock was a poor match for T’Pring due to his human heritage. Many had predicted that Spock would be unable to master his emotions and develop to his full potential as a Vulcan. Some had questioned his intelligence, but only when he was very young; he had quickly shown that his was a mind to be reckoned with. And now, at this very moment, Spock was being highly praised for his achievements, and a special wedding reception was being arranged to celebrate his bonding to a Terran. This puzzled Stonn: that the early attitudes of Vulcans toward Spock—resentment and disdain—had now changed to acceptance and pride. Even his peers had taken a different view of his bondmate and marriage. Had a Vulcan male gone to great lengths to secure a female for bonding or the reverse? Indeed, T’Pring had gone to great lengths (flouting Vulcan customs) to bond to him in order to avoid marriage to Spock.

Stonn had always wondered whether, if the challenge had stood, he could have bested Spock. If the plak tow had run deep in him, then would Spock and he have been equals in the match? He would never know; the opportunity was never presented to him—it was taken from him by his wife. Would Spock have had the upper hand if they had fought? With Spock's greater experience in combat, would he have overpowered him and taken his life? Had T’Pring feared that outcome? Was that why she chose the human? Fear is something a Vulcan dare not admit; he needed to inquire about her decision.

Stonn approached his wife in their office, where she was reading her Padd. She looked up toward her husband, extended two fingers, and touched her husband's.

“T’Pring, we must talk,” Stonn said, taking a seat next to her. “My wife, it is imperative that we attend the wedding reception. You have expressed through our bond your reluctance.”

“I do not wish to attend. I find the whole event of this wedding reception offensive and illogical.”

“Commander Spock has achieved much for the greater good of all Vulcans.”

T’Pring glared at her husband. “You agree with the Vulcan High Command?”

“It does not matter; it is required that we attend as a clan.”

T’Pring held her head up and addressed her husband: “I do not understand why this subject needed attention, Stonn.”

“I am requesting clarification, T’Pring, as your bondmate.”

T’Pring looked down and folded her hands in her lap.

“Spock—Spock and I never agreed to our childhood bond. He was always distant in our relationship. I made the choice to have it challenged on our _kal’i’farr._ ”

“But that is acceptable during those times. Children are distant at first and then confirm their bond during the _kal’i’farr_.”

“Must this be discussed now, after we have been bonded since our ceremony?” T’Pring asked, trying again to deflect her husband's questions.

“Yes, I require clarification on your choice—I have delayed the question since our bonding, T’Pring. Before the _kal’i’farr_ , we planned in detail our challenge to Spock—that I would be the chosen one. Why did you change the plan?” Many times Stonn had sought this answer, but he had not dared to probe her thoughts, out of respect.

“I saw an alternative that would best suit the _kal’i’fee_.”

“I do not understand. Why would you desire to see the Terran captain killed by Spock?” :Stonn asked with an arched brow.

“My change of plans was flawless; it served its purpose. You became the victor—my bondmate.”

T’Pring held her head up high, proud of her accomplishment and looked directly into Stonn’s eyes.

“Affirmative, I am your bondmate—but why did you choose the Terran captain when you were aware I was the best qualified for the challenge?”

T’Pring had no words to explain her decision; she knew the answer and refused to comply with her husband's request. Her intense prejudice toward Spock's heritage was no longer socially acceptable among Vulcans, so she had buried it deep within her mind so that not even Stonn would ever become aware of it.

“Stonn, the decision I made was a logical one. I explained this to Spock when he requested my reasons for the _kal’i’fee_. I will express again what transpired with Spock. I had informed him that I wanted you as my consort. If Spock had won, he would have left me here with his name and property while he continued his legend among our people and the universe. As I explained to you before our courtship, I had no desire to be bonded to such a male, and I decided to become your consort in his absence. When I chose the Terran captain, my intent was to upset the balance of the situation. If the Terran had been the victor, he would have had no desire for a Vulcan wife, and he too would have freed me from Spock’s bond and the _kal’i’farr_. Therefore, you, Stonn, would be the only suitor left and would have become my bondmate.”

“Your change of plans has placed me in a problematic position, T’Pring. I have become your bondmate, but not through victory in the _kal’i’fee._ ”

“Spock, himself, informed me that my plan was logically flawless.” T’Pring stood up, becoming upset over the questioning of her decision. She approached her husband, placing her hand on his shoulder, trying to redirect his inquiry.

“My _adun_ —we are together now. What happened before does not matter—I have chosen you as my mate above all others.”

Stonn stood up and pressed his fingers against his wife's, their emotions passed through the connection. Stonn would accept her answer, for now, knowing there was more to the situation. Was she trying to protect him, but failing to consider how her decision reflected on him and his standing as a Vulcan male?

“One day, _adun_ , I would like to announce the conception of our first child—this will bring great honor to our clan and to you.” T’Pring looked into his eyes, trying to redirect his concerns away from his performance as a Vulcan male.

T’Pring blocked her thoughts from her husband; she had to calm him. She did not want him to know her real reason for their marriage; she had to control her emotions.

* * *

**Federation of Planet Headquarters: A few days later;**

Carlos Rivera placed his Padd on his desk and continued to work on other priorities. Kim Kelly, a local entertainment reporter came by to check on upcoming high-profile events. She was well known for getting exclusive interviews with entertainment celebrities. For Kim to keep her status among her peers, she needed something big. She had known Carlos for some time and considered him a good friend; she was hoping to get a good story from an old friend.

Kim flopped down on one of the nearby chair: “Hey ya, Carlos, gotta bone to throw me?”

“Nothing really—just ending my day; how about you?” Carlos gave Kim a big smile.

“Just the same ol' celebrities trying to steal each other's thunder.”

Carlos laughed: “Is it that boring out there?”

“Well, here on Earth, it’s quiet—I’m stuck. But out there in space is the real news. But other planets don’t gossip the way we do—they are so sophisticated.”

Carlos skimmed through his work and wondered if Ambassador Sarek's party was newsworthy. He read the invitation carefully. It did say private and closed to the public. Usually, the President would state that to him before he ventured into disclosure territory.

“Well, I don’t know if it's anything, but the president is invited to a wedding reception on Altair VI.”

That got Kim's attention: “Whose wedding reception? And why all the way out there?”

“It's Ambassador Sarek’s son's wedding reception.”

“ _ **The**_ Ambassador Sarek who was once the ambassador to Earth?”

“Yep—his son got married recently, and the reception will be on Altair VI.”

“I didn’t know he had a son.” That got Kim’s attention and sat up.

“Yes, I think he is in Starfleet.”

Kim took out her Padd and looked up Ambassador Sarek and family. She read the brief biography of the man. Then Kim continued to read who the ambassador had married and her mouth dropped open.

“You gotta be kidding me!”

Carlos looked at her quizzically and asked, “What? What did you find?”

“Ambassador Sarek is married to Amanda Grayson! WOW!”

Kim searched the archives for news articles about their marriage. “This is great news—wow! They made headlines with their marriage about forty years ago.”

“I didn’t know he was married to a Terran.”

“That’s because we're stuck on Earth, Carlos—boring!”

Kim turned to Carlos: “When is this reception?”

Carlos searched his Padd: “According to the invitation, it’s about two weeks away.”

Kim jumped up and kissed Carlos on the cheek: “Carlos, you just saved my job! This is big news!”

“How so?”

“Ambassador Sarek and Amanda Grayson were the couple that engaged in the first interracial marriage between a Vulcan and a Terran, and it was a HUGE to-do back then. Some people were for the marriage because they thought it was romantic, and some people were against it because of Vulcans' demeanor—they didn't think a Vulcan could love another person. And back then, many people felt Vulcans couldn’t be trusted—it was a huge scandal, and they accused him of brainwashing her. People back then were full of all kinds of prejudice and stuff.”

“Wow—I wonder why I haven’t heard about it?”

“Well, it’s been almost forty years; you and I weren’t even born yet. What is his son’s name and who did he marry?”

Carlos tapped his Padd for information. “His son is Commander Spock and he married Nyota Uhura.”

Kim typed both names into her Padd: “Rats—they're both in Starfleet; that gives me limited sources. But thank you, Carlos! This is big news! I’m going to get the exclusive on this story.”

Kim packed her Padd and left to find her boss.

A half-hour later, Kim sat in her boss’s office.

“I want to have the exclusive rights to this story—it’s going to be big!”

“I remember this story—it WAS big. I was just out of college when their engagement was announced. Amanda Grayson was a catch! I’ve heard back then that a lot of men had tried to date her. She did do some work for the diplomatic corps, specializing in linguistics. Kelly, this news will put WEN (World Entertainment News) back on top! How much information can you get?”

“I need to call in some favors—the couple is in Starfleet, and they are limited to giving background on their officers.”

“Great! Get the information ready in thirty minutes and be prepared to broadcast live with the news before the other networks find out.”

“I’m on it, boss!” Kim jumped from her chair to get ready to anchor the breaking news of the galaxy.

Sometime later, WEN broadcast the following announcement:

“Good evening. This is Kim Kelly of World Entertainment News. I have an exciting announcement from the United Federation of Planets. If you remember, about forty years ago, a Vulcan ambassador who was once stationed here on Earth, Ambassador Sarek, was best known for his diplomacy in settling interplanetary disputes for the Federation. Then out of the blue he up and married a schoolteacher and expert xeno-linguist by the name of Amanda Grayson, who at the time was Earth's most eligible bachelorette and was working for the Federation's diplomatic corps. No one knew that they were dating; they hadn't even been seen together as a couple. When the story broke, Ms. Grayson was whisked away to Vulcan and never heard from again. Many said it was the most romantic love story of the century; others were concerned about the cloud of mystery. Here are some archival photos of Ambassador Sarek and Ms. Grayson’s courtship. Many had doubted their relationship would last, but their marriage has stood the test of time.

"It has been reported that Amanda Grayson attended most of the diplomatic engagements her husband was assigned to as part of the linguistics team. Well, a few years later, Ms. Grayson gave birth to a son, who somehow ended up at Starfleet Academy and currently serves on a starship in space. Well, ladies and gentlemen, Ambassador Sarek and Amanda Grayson as a couple have endured scandal and criticism, and did not just survive, but actually thrived! They have now announced the marriage of their son. That’s right—this famous couple had a son who grew up to become Commander Spock of the starship _Enterprise_. And somewhere out in space, Commander Spock has married a Terran woman himself. Oh, my—there seems to be a tradition in this family for Vulcan men to take a liking to Terran women. The family is planning a wedding reception on Altair VI, and only the who’s whos of the Federation are invited. That’s right! It’s exclusive; only the elite are invited, including the president of the Federation and many high-ranking dignitaries. Who did Commander Spock marry? That’s part of the mystery—she hails from the United States of Africa—a Nyota Uhura. She too is a member of Starfleet. I believe another love story is in the making, everyone! Commander Spock and Nyota Uhura—wherever you are—congratulations! This is Kim Kelly from WEN saying goodnight!”

The other news media quickly picked up the exciting news, rehashing Sarek and Amanda’s love story as a backdrop to their son’s marriage. People were amazed that another Vulcan had married another Terran woman, and speculation started to stir. People wanted to know who Spock and Nyota were. Starfleet didn’t have much to release on the couple, only the facts of their graduation from the Academy and fields of research, along with the bare bones of their official service records. So the media plastered their Academy pictures across the galaxy as part of the news blitz. The news quickly traveled across the globe. People wanted to know more about the mystery couple. Others sought to be invited to the wedding reception, messaging the Vulcan embassy on each continent and only finding frustration. It was truly a who’s who guest list, and few people qualified.

Kim Kelly was desperate; she had broken the story, but now she needed to get to Altair VI for the exclusive event.

Kim visited Carlos again, hoping to get an extra ticket or access to the planet. The media circus bombarded Starfleet Academy and Command for information about the married couple. The story was broadcast across the Alpha quadrant. Kim was hoping her relationship with Carlos would help her get to the event of the century:

“Carlos, please! I’m begging you! How can I get there?”

“I’m sorry, but Vulcan has the master guest list; only they can authorize your ticket!”

“I can’t believe it! The love story of a lifetime, and I can’t get there!” Kim stamped her foot hard in disappointment.

Kim turned to Carlos and looked him straight in the eye: “What about you? Are you going with the president?”

“No, not even me. I can’t help you, Kim.”

Kim took a deep breath and pouted: “I’ve tried to get an appointment with someone at the Vulcan embassy—nada. This could boost my career.”

“What about Starfleet? Have you tried them?”

“Yeah—it’s the same thing. I've got to find a way to get to Altair VI!”

“Sorry, I can’t help you. So what happens next?”

“I'm going to the United States of Africa to find Nyota Uhura’s family. Her file says she has a mother living in Grahamstown and working as a professor.”

“Well, maybe it will be better to have an interview with her mother.”

“Hmm, maybe if I play my cards right, she'll like me and take me along!”

“Good luck with that,” Carlos said sarcastically.

“But it’s worth a try!” Kim grabbed her Padd and headed out the door toward her last opportunity to find her way to Altair VI. “See ya, Carlos! Wish me luck!”

Carlos watched Kim walk out the door, shaking his head and wondering what all the fuss was about.

* * *

**Meanwhile, at the Vulcan Embassy:**

Multiple media outlets were camped outside the embassy compound, trying to get a comment about Ambassador Sarek's son's wedding reception. Guards were posted at the gates to keep unwanted guests from bombarding the embassy aides with questions.

T’Zora, one of the aides in the embassy, walked down the hall, carrying a Padd in her hand. She tapped lightly on the door to gain entrance to meet with Ambassador Sern. T’Zora stood in the presence of the ambassador and two other aides; she gave a slight bow and the standard greeting to the three men.

“Ambassador Sern, excuse the interruption. The Terran media are requesting comments from you on _S’haile_ Spock’s wedding reception. They are—quite persistent.”

“Terran media can be irritating with their requests for information that we as Vulcans consider to be private.” Sern turned to his other aides: “We are waiting for instructions from the Vulcan High Command about this situation.”

Semek commented on the situation: “I do not understand the Terrans’ fascination with the details of someone else’s family or personal life.”

“I agree; it is most illogical,” Stinek added.

Sern stated: “Commander Spock's recent bond to a Terran is an interesting event on Earth that Terrans find fascinating. Also, he is being recognized by Vulcan society for his accomplishments. If the reports are correct, Commander Spock was instrumental in determining the cause of the tragic loss of the _Intrepid_ and destroying the creature before it could cause more harm.”

“Yes, I agree. It was a great loss that we all felt,” T’Zora said.

“Many continue to mourn those lost in the event; those losses extended to the Vulcan High Command,” Semek added.

Ambassador Sern turned and addressed T’Zora: “It is in our best interests that you indicate to the media that at this time the Vulcan Embassy has no comment on the matter. We will continue to monitor the Terran media on the subject until we hear from the Vulcan High Command.”

“Yes, Ambassador. I will convey the message.”

T’Zora bowed and gave the departing salute before leaving to confront the media. As she walked out of the office, she decided that, rather than responding live to reporters’ questions, she would prepare a formal vid to explain the embassy’s stance on the matter, thereby avoiding any confrontation with irrational humans. It was her desire to one day meet the legendary Commander Spock. She had briefly met Ambassador Sarek two years ago when she was on her way to Earth. T’Zora decided to boost the image of the S’chn T’gai clan to improve understanding and raise the status of Vulcan culture—and to combat the misinformation that was often presented by Earth media. She began composing a statement that would explain and clarify her people’s customs and the need for privacy in Vulcan culture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1]Star Trek, the Original Series, "A Taste of Armageddon."


	12. The Time the Circus Came to Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta Reader: Jsilver2000  
> Summary:
> 
> Stonn was trying to soothe his bruised ego with a discussion with T'Pring, which she refuses to elaborate her reasons on the Kal-i-farr. While back on Earth; Kim Kelly has decided to make Sarek and Amanda news worthy over Spock's wedding, with dramatic results. Now Saana had been celebrating her new outlook on life and had slowly begun dating an acquaintance in town. Over the weekend, she was planning to go on a casual date with Reuben, who was ecstatic about the fact that Saana was taking an interest in him. Not one of his associates could believe it. Reuben was his shop, holding court:

"You have been so happy lately, Reuben. What is making you smile?" Tau asked, noticing that Reuben had been secretive and happy for about two weeks.

His customer Gatura had noticed as well and wondered what was keeping his old friend occupied. He chimed in, chuckling: "Yes, this is true! Where have you been lately? You missed the soccer match and the card game too."

Reuben smiled and continued to cut Gatura's hair. Gatura glanced at Tau because Reuben wasn't paying any attention to their banter.

A sly smile spread across Tau's face: "Aw! If it's not his children, then it must be—a—WOMAN!"

That statement broke the spell Reuben was under: "What?" he asked, looking up from his work.

"It is a woman?" Gatura had seen Reuben react in the mirror and leaned forward and turned his head toward his barber.

Tau saw the shocked look on his face: "Who is she, Reuben? You must tell us!"

Reuben stared at his close friends: "You are correct that a woman is taking up my time. But I am reluctant to reveal who she is yet."

Tau looked disappointed and snapped, "Why? Is she married, and you're ashamed?"

"We are in the talking stages, and I am trying to make her feel comfortable because she's very timid."

"This is good for you, Reuben—having a lady friend," Gatura said, smiling and chuckling.

"Yes, I agree! Tau said. Your happiness shows in your face!"

"She must be some woman if you will not even mention her name," Gatura added.

"She is!" Reuben said, with a faraway look in his eyes as he spoke. "She is worth the wait. We've only gone out a couple of times, but I must say she is the most beautiful woman I have met in a long time."

His two friends gave each other the eye, noticing Reuben's smile and sincerity: "Then we must meet her soon," Gatura declared.

Reuben continued cutting Gatura's hair as he watched the world news monitor mounted on his wall. Then he noticed the feed about a person in their town.

Gatura pointed at the monitor: "Hey, they are saying that there is a celebrity living here in our town!"

The three men looked up at the monitor and saw the news story discussing the University of Rhodes. Reuben requested that the volume be increased:

"Hello, people of Grahamstown. I'm Kim Kelly with World Entertainment News. It appears that the mother of the famous couple resides in Grahamstown and works at the University of Rhodes! She is Dr. Saana Uhura, the mother of Nyota Uhura."

An image of Saana appeared on the screen.

Reuben dropped his tools and stared at the monitor in shock.

Gatura and Tau whistled at the same time: "What a looker!"

"She lives here with us?" Tau asked.

Reuben started to feel jealous and commented with pride: "Gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to you my girl, Saana. This is the woman that I've been seeing."

Gatura shook his head in disbelief: "No way!"

"What do you mean 'NO WAY'?" Reuben demanded.

Gatura and Tau simultaneously understood that Reuben was not kidding around and quickly changed their tune:

"We—We're sorry! It's just that she looks so sophisticated," Tau said, trying to calm the situation.

"You guys have to leave NOW!" Reuben roared.

Gatura jumped out of his seat and pulled his apron off: "What's the rush?"

"Yeah?" Tau added.

"I've got to get to the university and save my woman; they probably ambushed her there."

Reuben had pulled on his jacket while he was talking to his friends. The two men rushed out of the shop, and Reuben locked up and ran toward home to get his hovercar. On his way, he pulled out his com-link phone and tried to reach Saana.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the University of Rhodes, Saana was in class lecturing her 75 students when two security guards approached her, one from each side, distracting her and the students.

"Can I help you, gentlemen?"

The first guard cleared his throat: "Excuse us, Professor Uhura; we need to speak with you in private."

"Of course; I'll need to dismiss my class first."

"Please go ahead; it's quite urgent," the second guard said.

Saana turned toward her students, gave them their next assignment, and dismissed them. When everyone had left, she looked at the two guards, thinking something had happened to her Nyota. She took a deep breath: "Okay, how can I help you?"

The first guard spoke: "There is a crowd of journalists outside the gate requesting to speak with you about your daughter."

Saana gasped, covering her mouth and fighting back tears: "Has something happened to her?"

"No, professor—they just want to interview you about your daughter."

Saana stepped back, looking puzzled: "Why?"

"Have you been tracking the news? Apparently, your daughter and her husband are celebrities, and the people at the gate are news reporters."

The second guard interjected: "Yes, they want to interview you about your daughter; it's a big crowd. Do you wish to talk to them?"

Saana shook her head: "NO!"

"Then we are instructed to take you to the Chancellor's office for your safety."

"SAFETY?"

"Yes. They are getting a little pushy because we won't let them in, and they tried to bum-rush the gate, the first guard replied. "Follow us please, Professor Uhura."

Saana gathered her things from the podium and followed the guards to the Chancellor's office. As she walked, she hoped that she wouldn't be in trouble for causing such a ruckus on campus. The guards reached the main office and knocked on Chancellor Edwards' double doors.

"Sir, Professor Uhura is here."

"Please have her come in."

The guards stepped aside to let Saana in. She walked slowly, with only her clenched hands betraying her nervousness. But she stood firm and ready for anything before the Chancellor. Edwards came to his feet and offered her a chair, giving her a gentle smile.

Saana took a seat in front of his long sleek desk with built-in monitors. Edwards leaned against his desk with his arms folded across his chest, looking down at Saana.

"Saana, were you aware that there are at least 50 reporters trying to find you?"

"No, sir! Not until the security guards informed me."

"I wasn't aware that your daughter was in Starfleet or even married."

"I found out almost a month ago that she got married. I'm really proud of her."

"But currently we have a problem. It seems that your daughter is married to a Vulcan—and not just any Vulcan—but to Ambassador Sarek's son."

"Yes, sir. I haven't met the family yet—well not personally—but my daughter did tell me she was married."

"I just want you to know that I support any decision you make about the media; they can be sharks."

"Thank you, sir! That means a lot to me."

"I can give you time off if you wish to deal with the media. I also can have a substitute take over your classes."

Saana looked up at Chancellor Edwards: "I believe I can do my work, sir."

"It's not the work—it's stress and pressure that you are up against, Saana."

At that moment, her com-link phone rang, and Reuben's face appeared. "Please excuse me for a moment, sir," Saana said, before answering it:

"Hello, Reuben."

"Saana! Are you all right? I saw your picture on the media feed."

"Yes, I'm okay," she said. "I'm in a meeting now. May I call you later?"

"I'm outside the university—there are people out here trying to get in. I wanted to make sure that you're safe!"

"Yes, I'm safe. I'm sitting in the Chancellor's office right now—please go home. I'll be okay. I'll try to call you later."

"Are you sure? I can wait?"

"Mr. Reuben, when it is safe for her to leave, Security will escort Saana home. At the moment, we are waiting for the police to control the media. We don't know how long this will take."

"Who is this?" Reuben asked suspiciously.

"I'm Chancellor Edwards of the University of Rhodes. This situation is new to all of us, but we will make sure Professor Uhura gets home safely."

"Okay," Reuben said. "Is that all right with you, Saana?"

"Yes, for now. Thank you for calling me," Saana replied, ending the call. She looked back at Edwards, who raised an eyebrow.

"Nice friend!" Edwards said. "He seemed deeply concerned about you."

"Yes, he is," Saana replied. "So what do I do in the meantime, Chancellor?"

"You can go back to your office and work, or pick up something in the cafeteria to eat until we get the media crowd down to size. I will contact you when it is safe to be escorted home."

Saana stood up and sighed, straightening her skirt: "Thank you, sir, for helping me."

"You are highly respected among our faculty, Saana. Your research and teaching speak for themselves. The university will always support you. Have a good day."

Saana left and headed to her office. As she was walking, she could hear the media shouting questions in the distance. She entered her office and snapped on her vid-comlink. There she found the pictures of Nyota and Spock. There were older ones, including Nyota's Starfleet Academy graduation picture. Saana shook her head, " _Nyota never liked her graduation photo.'_ "She heard comments on Vulcan and Terran relationships, some good and some bad. Hearing media personalities who knew none of the people involved talk about Spock and Nyota's relationship was painful. Then they started rehashing the 40-year-old controversy over Ambassador Sarek's marriage to Amanda: _'The idea that Sarek would brainwash someone to love him is insane!'_ Saana thought, clicking off the vid-comlink and returning her attention to her research.

Hours later—when the coast was clear—the security guards knocked on her door: "Good evening, Professor Uhura. Are you ready to be escorted home?"

"Yes, I am—let me get my things."

"The Chancellor has requested that we take you home every day to avoid the media, until the excitement quiets down," the guard said. "He said it was for your safety."

"Did he say for how long?"

"No, Professor."

Saana gathered her things and followed the guards to the back of the building, where a hovercar was waiting. It had no markings on it; she sat in the back seat and looked out the window. As they passed over the crowd of journalists and got to the point where it thinned out, she sighed in relief. Saana sat back and leaned against the headrest, wondering how long she would be able to keep this up. She needed to think of a way to keep this notoriety from affecting her job. She was glad that Edwards was understanding, but she knew he had a university to run and could not afford an ongoing distraction. As they drove up to her condo, she hoped her neighbors wouldn't react to her sudden fame. Saana was glad no one was around. The two guards escorted her to her door.

"Thank you, gentlemen," Saana said sincerely.

"We are glad to be of service, Professor Uhura," one of them said before they left.

Saana entered her condo tired and hungry. She took a shower and started looking for something to eat. She opened her com-link and saw endless emails and messages about Nyota, all wanting to know more about the marriage. Then the com-link buzzed with an incoming message from Reuben, which she answered:

"Hi, Reuben."

"Saana, are you okay—did you make it home safely?"

"Yes, I did. Security escorted me home."

"Would you like me to come over?"

"No, Reuben. I'm really tired tonight. Today was taxing, and I have to get ready for classes tomorrow. But thank you so much for your kindness."

"Not a problem; I wish I could do more."

"The media frenzy should die down in a couple of days."

"When can I see you again?"

"I don't know—maybe this weekend if things with the media calm down. I'll feel uncomfortable if they are following us around."

"I agree. I'll let you rest. Goodnight, Saana."

"Goodnight to you too, Reuben."

Saana ended the call, finished her last bit of work for her classes, and headed to bed. _"I hope tomorrow is a better day._ "

The next day and the day after that did not get better.

Saana had just gotten dressed and was gathering the things she needed to take to the university that day when she heard voices outside her condo. She peeked out the curtains, only to find a mob of reporters at her door. Saana quickly stepped away from the window:

" _Thanks to my neighbors, I'm found out!"_

Saana grabbed her book bag and lunch and headed out the back door, successfully eluding the reporters. She took her regular transport to the university amidst the stares of the other commuters, who recognized her from the media blitz. She took a five-minute walk toward the university, but as she got closer, she saw the media mob in the distance. She decided to head to the side entrance, where Security was stationed, but she was recognized and a pursuit ensued. Saana moved as quickly as dignity would allow, but she could hear the reporters gaining on her as they shouted their questions:

"Ms. Uhura, why are you hiding?"

"Are you ashamed of your daughter?"

"We want your side of the story!"

"We want to know how Nyota feels!"

"Can you comment on their marriage?"

"Did you go to the wedding?"

"Why is it a secret?"

The guards came out to support her and let her in; then they blocked the reporters. But she heard one clearly say:

"Ms. Uhura, a moment of your time? We want the scoop!"

Saana stood in the lobby trying to catch her breath. She wanted to thank the guards, but they were busy holding back the media. Saana went to her office to set up for her class and found Nelson Banks sitting on her couch.

"Good morning, Saana."

Saana nearly jumped out of her skin: "Nelson! You scared me!"

"Sorry about that. I was just checking in on you. I see the media has made you jumpy."

"They have, and I resent it!"

"You are all over on every network in the world!"

"I am?"

"Sure," Nelson said. He got up and clicked on the monitor and Saana's picture flashed across the screen.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are here at Dr. Uhura's workplace, trying to get a glimpse of the mother of Nyota Uhura. Who is this mystery woman?"

Nelson turned to her: "I know your daughter went to Starfleet Academy; they tried to ask ME about her! But I didn't give them a thing."

"Thanks, Nelson!

"Do you need me to teach any of your classes?"

"I think I can handle it—thanks!"

"Not a problem! Call me if you need anything. I have to admit, though, you put our university on the map!" Then he left with a smile.

When Saana went to teach her class, she noticed an increase in the number of students. Some of them she never seen before. She started her lecture, as usual, but then five students whom she did not recognize raised their hands.

"If this has to do with the topic of today's lecture, you may ask your questions; if not, please refrain from asking me personal questions at this time."

The hands went quickly down.

"Class dismissed."

When she said that, about 12 students rushed up to her, asking questions. Saana refused to answer; she packed up her things and headed to her office, ignoring the requests. She plopped into her chair and tried to eat her lunch, but then her com-link phone beeped. She checked it and saw her Great Aunt Chandis' image, so she answered.

"Hi, Auntie!"

"Hi, Auntie, nothing!" she snapped. "How did this happen? Your and your daughter's faces are all over the world and beyond!"

"Auntie Chandis, Nyota was married out in space; she's happy and I'm happy for her."

"How can you be? She married an alien! We know nothing about him or his people! Why didn't you tell us that Nyota was married?"

"Auntie, please stop shouting!"

"First you married one of those uppity Uhuras, and now your only child is married to an alien! The family will never live this down!"

Saana started to cry: "Auntie Chandis, how dare you talk to me like that?!"

"This your fault, Saana! Your parents are turning over in their graves!"

With that, Saana snapped the phone-com closed, grabbed a tissue, and wiped her face. For the first time in a long time, Saana felt alone. She sat on the floor and allowed herself a good cry.

"Kayode, I miss you so much! I wish you were here to help me through this situation!"

After a while, she got up and prepared for her next class; when it was over, she was escorted home again by the security guards. Again, a crowd waited for her at her door. But this time the guard informed her:

"Professor Uhura, we were instructed to pick you up at 8 am for the rest of the week. These orders are straight from the Chancellor—he regards your safety as a priority."

"I will be ready tomorrow at that time. Thank you and have a nice evening."

She locked the door and slid down to the floor in exhaustion. The media frenzy was getting to her, but it was not personal and did not hurt like the comments from her great aunt, which were like a knife to the heart. She considered her family—she had always known her family, including her parents, hadn't liked the Uhuras. _"But still."_ Saana got up and sat at her desk, snapping on the holo-vid of Spock and Nyota: " _I hope they're not having a difficult time because of their race or heritage. They deserve love like anybody else._ "

Saana sat there staring at the holo-vids and reflected on what Amanda had said about how things got distorted when she married Sarek.

"She did say that the media was a circus; she didn't lie!"

She remembered what Amanda had said about fighting for the children—at that moment, Saana decided to fight for hers:

"I may have lost my natural family, but I'm gaining a new one that doesn't judge. I will fight this head-on if need be. I am not afraid!" Saana slammed her fist on the desk to punctuate the thought. She turned on some upbeat music, cooked something to eat, and then got ready for bed and prepared for a brand new day.

The next day, the guards were ready. They parted the media and the crowd from town as they escorted Saana to their hovercar. She could hear the barrage of questions and comments about Spock and Nyota's marriage. She wanted to tell them off so bad! _"'No comment', Amanda said."_ She pursed her lips watched the road ahead.

Before she got out of the hovercar, one of the guards told her that the Chancellor wanted to see her in his office. She headed there first, thinking that he had had enough of her and the media camping out at the university and disrupting the learning environment. When she was escorted to the Chancellor's office, she found herself standing between two tall men dressed in long gray robes. She looked up at one and stared into two deep brown and very sharp eyes. She took in his arched eyebrows and pointed ears, realizing that the two must be Vulcans. They looked young and both had stoic faces.

"Professor Uhura—Saana, these men are from the Vulcan Embassy in San Francisco. Saana, gentlemen, please take a seat."

One of the Vulcans turned to greet Saana, raising his hand in the traditional Vulcan salute: "Live long and prosper. I am Semek, an aide to Ambassador Sern," he said with a slight bow of his head.

"I am Stinek, also an aide to Ambassador Sern," the other said, inclining his head and performing the salute as well. "We have been sent on behalf of Vulcan."

Chairs were moved and they sat in a semi-circle around the Chancellor's desk. Edwards exchanged a worried look with Saana and glanced at the two visitors. He sighed deeply and filled Saana in on the situation:

"Saana, yesterday at about 8 pm, Vulcan released a statement about Commander Spock and your daughter, Nyota. The media misinterpreted that statement, in which they referred to Commander Spock as a—a prince. The media ran with it, and it's way out of control."

"S'chn T'gai Spock is a s'haile among his people." Stinek explained.

"A 'leader' would be the proper term in your language," Semek added.

Edwards looked at the two Vulcans and then back to Saana: "They came here with proper identification and orders to take you to safety."

Saana became alarmed: "But why?"

Semek turned to Saana: "We had been advised that you would be attending the wedding reception once the date was set. It has been brought to our attention that the date has been determined, and your presence on Vulcan is required to participate in that activity."

"I have to leave Earth now?"

"Affirmative."

"What about my daughter and Commander Spock? They are both on a starship somewhere in space—are they coming home?"

"We do not have information at this time on their itinerary or arrival date, Professor Uhura. Everything is, as you say, 'on standby'," Semek explained as best he could in Terran terms.

"But I don't have my traveling documents; well, they're not fully complete."

"We are instructed to provide and present any documents necessary for your travels. They will be available upon your arrival at the Vulcan Embassy."

"What about my work?"

Edwards gave her a reaffirming look and smiled: "Please don't worry about your classes or your research. They will be here when you return. I can put you on a paid sabbatical, being that your trip will be somewhat of a cultural exchange. Don't stress about this, Saana. You are going to see your daughter and son-in-law. What you don't need is the media circus outside these walls."

"They made so many mean and misinformed comments about them."

"Yeah, that is how it often goes with the media—I did see some media personalities playing it like a romance story. And it is, Saana—so be happy and enjoy your trip."

"You're right, sir. I will. Thank you, sir."

"Good! Then it's settled. Go home and pack. Semek and Stinek will accompany you for your safety. I hope you have a safe and wonderful trip, Saana. You deserve this! Godspeed to Nyota and her husband."

Chancellor Edwards stood up and shook her hand. The two aides took their leave of the Chancellor, performing the Vulcan salute:

"Live long and prosper."

Saana gathered some of her things from her office while the Vulcans stood guard. Her colleague Nelson Banks came by:

"Saana, you're leaving?"

"Yes, Nelson. I'm going to the Vulcan Embassy and then to Vulcan to be with my daughter."

"That's wonderful! I'll miss you, but have a safe trip." He went over and hugged her.

The two Vulcans simultaneously raised an eyebrow at the unusual (among Vulcans) display of physical affection.

They left the university from the far side of the campus to avoid the media and took a hovercar to her place, only to find the neighbors and more media milling around. When the Vulcans exited the car, a quietness passed through the crowd. Then Saana stepped out. The men made a path to her door, but reporter who was not easily intimidated broke the silence:

"Ms. Uhura, what is your stand on mixed marriage with aliens?"

That broke the spell, and the other reporters started to shout questions too:

"How does your daughter feel about being married to a prince?"

"Ms. Uhura, are the Vulcans kidnapping you?"

"Why did you let your daughter marry a Vulcan?"

Saana stood at the top of her steps and glared at the crowd. She wanted to say something to stop them from disrespecting Nyota and Spock.

"NO COMMENT!" she said sternly.

She turned and entered her house, followed by the Vulcans. She locked the door and took a deep breath. She looked up at the two quiet men and wondered what they thought.

"I will go and pack my things. Would you like some tea, gentlemen?"

The two men looked at each other and nodded in agreement. Stinek said, "Affirmative, Professor Uhura. I will take a post at the front door, and Semek will position himself at the rear door."

Saana went into the kitchen and started the process of making tea. She went to her desk and started gathering things she might need during the trip.

"Semek, Stinek, have either of you met Commander Spock?"

The two men quietly approached her: "We have not officially met Commander Spock in person."

Saana played the vid-photo of Spock and Nyota playing their lyres for the Vulcans to see. The men stared at the image of their fellow Vulcan and his Terran bride. They were surprised that the Terran could play the _ka'athyra_.

"Nyota learned to play in her early adolescence; she told me it was very hard. But she was determined to learn."

"Yes, it is one of the instruments that has been completely mastered only by the grandmaster, which, in this case, is Ambassador Sarek," Stinek commented.

Saana smiled at that, to think that Nyota could be so good at playing an instrument that was difficult even for Vulcans. She took one more look at the vid-photos and downloaded them into her Padd, which she would take with her.

Saana gave the men their tea and then began packing clothes for her long journey. When she was ready, Saana looked around her home for the last time, not knowing how long she would be gone. Nor did she know how things would stand after the reception. She gave one last smile and told the Vulcans that she was ready.

They escorted her through the crowd again back to the hovercar and sped off to the air shuttle terminal. Saana's flight was smooth and quiet. She gazed through her window, looking at the landscape beneath her. She had never been to San Francisco before. She landed there in the evening; the city landscape was beautiful and a little cooler than Grahamstown had been. They took the hovercar to the Embassy, where she was greeted by a woman aide also dressed in a gray robe:

"Live long and prosper, Professor Uhura. I am T'Zora. I will be assisting you with all your needs."

Saana returned the greeting and thanked them in Vulcansu:

"Your service honors me."

The three Vulcans were surprised, each raising an eyebrow. Saana saw their faces and wondered if she had said it incorrectly.

"Did I say it wrong?"

"No, Professor. Your pronunciation was precise," Stinek said.

"I was in the process of learning Vulcan before the media began to stalk me," she said, quite satisfied to learn that she had said the Vulcan thank-you properly.

"We do have learning modules that will allow you to continue with your education in Vulcansu," T'Zora said.

"That would be nice."

"Now I will escort you to your suite, Professor." T'Zora led Saana to an elevator. Semek and Stinek followed with her luggage.

T'Zora opened the double doors to a suite that was as large as her whole condo.

T'Zora turned to Saana: "We hope you find these accommodations acceptable, Professor Uhura."

"I do. Thank you!"

"In approximately thirty minutes we will have end meal. You are invited to join us, or you may take your meal here in private if you wish."

"I would like to have end meal with you."

"I will return in twenty-nine minutes to escort you."

The three Vulcans left Saana to explore the suite. The furnishings were comfortable and modern. She found the bathroom and got ready for dinner—her first with Vulcans! She was excited and grateful to Amanda for suggesting that she learn some of the Vulcan language. Now she could only think about seeing Nyota and Spock—the feeling of anticipation was killing her, but then a smile formed on her face as she realized, _"It won't be long now!"_


End file.
